The Future of Justice
by GamingGuy84
Summary: Takes place right after "Arctic". Everything has fallen apart, and a new evil is about to rise to threaten Earth! But a mysterious visitor will change all that...
1. Prologue

Hello. I'm starting my first Smallville story; I hope you enjoy it! This takes place right after the Season 7 finale "Arctic". Everything has fallen apart; Lex Luthor went back on his word on Jimmy and had Chloe arrested, he went against his father's last words and fully embraced his dark side, Brainiac has imprisoned Kara in the Phantom Zone, and worst of all Lex used the Kryptonian orb he obtained to force Clark into submission and had the Fortress collapse on top of them both! As if things weren't bad enough, a new evil is about to rise to threaten Earth! But a mysterious visitor will change all that…

The Future of Justice

Prologue 

He had watched everything from his monitors, all the way down to the last detail. He saw Chloe get arrested by the Department of Domestic Security, he saw Brainiac imprison Kara in the Phantom Zone, and saw Lex use the Kryptonian Orb to make Clark unable to move and allowed the Fortress to fall upon them, burying them alive. He lowered his head and shut his eyes tight; he couldn't stand seeing so much pain and suffering. He wished that everything didn't turn out the way it did, that things could have been different.

He especially hated what Brainiac did; he grinded his teeth at the very thought of that maniacal machine. He despised Braniac his whole existence, and all the crimes it commited made him sick. Plus, after all the suffering Kara went through her whole life, she deserved much better than this. No woman so good, so passionate, so _beautiful_ shouldn't be locked up after everything her father and Brainiac put her through. _'Kara did not deserve this fate; she should have a chance for happiness…something her father had denied.'_

He opened his eyes again and fast fowarded the data tapes he was observing. He played them normally as Earth reached a full year after these events took place. As terrible as these things were, he knew it was just the beginning. He watched the Earth being consumed by fire and its people being enslaved by a dark, sinister figure. This figure was laughing on his new throne on Earth, a laugh that would make your skin crawl. As much as he hated Brainiac, he hated his villian even more.

"To think, all this happened because _he_ couldn't stop it." He said to himself sadly. "Lex and Brainiac started this chain reaction to Earth's doom; Clark Kent was the world's only hope…and he failed." He turned off the tapes and sat in silence once more. He pondered how things might have been different if Clark had succeeded. "The Earth would have been a much better place, and all those around him wouldn't have suffered." He smiled; Clark was a legend to him, as well as an idol. "You were the world's greatest hero; you should have been able to stop it. Why couldn't you?" He asked himself.

He then thought of the answer. "He didn't have enough help!" He got up and took out a small remote like device. "Clark didn't have all the people and resources to aid him to save Earth. If Kara was freed and the Fortress was restored, and if he had all his friends united against _him_, Clark would save everyone!" Excited, he opened a portal of some kind in front of him and smiled once more. "One person _can_ make a difference, and that is what I intend to do…_make a difference_." He then stepped through the portal, which disappeared behind him.

This was how it all started…

Note: Sorry if it is short, but I promise the later chapters will be longer. Anyway, enjoy reading this!


	2. Chapter 1 Visitor

Hey

Hey! I hope you liked the prologue. Now then, to really get going with the story, here is the first chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 1- Visitor

The Arctic:

The icy wind was blowing harshly over the frozen landscape; like it was angry that something precious had been taken away. And it turned out, that something was taken. The mighty Fortress of Solitude once stood magnificently there, formed miles away from any human that might accidentally stumble upon it. It was all that remained of Krypton, a planet long destroyed; it contained all of that world's knowledge. That knowledge was left for the Last Son of Krypton, Kal-El…or Clark Kent to Earth.

But thanks to his most hated enemy Lex Luthor, who was in the past a close friend of Clark, the Fortress had crumbled away. Now, there was nothing near the North Pole but snow and ice. But the wind was not the only thing that was making noise; the ground shook and increased in tension. It sounded like something was trying to break its way out onto the surface, and it was buried very deep. The tremors kept getting more and more intense…until finally, a fist burst out from the ice.

A second later, another fist had broken through and made the hole larger for him to make it out. A few moments later, Clark Kent rose from the newly formed hole, out of breath and totally alone. He looked around and he could see nothing of his Fortress. Depressed, he reached down in the hole and slowly dragged out the body of Lex Luthor. Clark checked his pulse, and sighed with relief; he was still alive. One of the fallen crystals from the Fortress cave-in Lex caused had hit him hard on his bald head; a huge scar could be seen near his left temple.

As he looked down at his former friend, though Clark was relieved that Lex didn't die, he secretly wished Lex did. After all, this was all Lex's fault; he caused the Fortress to fall on them, and he nearly killed Clark. Clark despised what Lex had become, but he would never allow someone to die…not even an enemy. So being the person that he was, he picked up Lex and super sped to the Medical Center in Smallville. On the way, he thought of what happened to Kara, his missing cousin and the only other Kryptonian to survive Krypton's destruction.

'_I don't know where you are Kara, but I promise, I will find you and bring you home.'_ He hoped that wherever Kara was, she was safe. How wrong he was…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Phantom Zone:

Kara was doing her best to hide from all the phantoms and physical beings in the Phantom Zone: A barren, near lifeless plain in another dimension where time meant nothing…and home to the many criminals that were sentenced there by the Kryptonian Council. This place contained prisoners not just from Krypton, but prisoners from other worlds across the 28 known galaxies. Some of them keep their bodies when they were sentenced there, while others were stripped of their physical forms and were reduced to nightmarish phantoms; this fate awaited those who committed the most horrible crimes.

However, this time, there was an innocent prisoner in the Zone. Kara was sent there by Brainiac, who had a hand in destroying Krypton. Not long after she arrived, she saw a small shelter and decided to hide there. She did not know who built it, but was grateful it was there. Thankfully, none of the residents of the Phantom Zone spotted her, so she decided to stay there until she think of a way out. But then she remembered that there was no way out. Once one was sent to the Phantom Zone, there would be no escape. Kara felt very scared as she hid there, wondering if Clark knew where she was or when he will rescue her. She wondered if _anyone_ would free her.

Just when she thought she was alone, she saw a flash of light outside the shelter. She held her breath and remained still; she thought a new prisoner was added to the Phantom Zone. She saw a shadow of a man, exactly where the light was, walking towards her. Kara panicked; she discovered that upon entering this forsaken place, that her powers were gone. If she was about to be attacked, she would not be able to defend herself. She backed herself as far as she could from the entrance and held up a hand sized rock in desperation. When she saw who came in, she was surprised.

The new comer appeared to be a young man; a human. He was a little taller than Kara and looked as old as her. The young man had short blond hair, light green eyes, and wore a dark green t-shirt beneath a dark purple jacket with black jeans; in short, Earth clothes. He was smiling at the sight of Kara, but it appeared to be a friendly smile. Kara thought he looked really cute. The stranger held out his hand, continuing to smile. "Do not worry Kara; I won't hurt you." He said softly. Kara was shocked by what he said, but shook his hand anyway. "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

The young stranger looked away for a second; he seemed hesitant to answer. "I am…Brian. It's not just your name I know, Kara, but I know all about you and your cousin, Clark." Kara was shocked again. "You know my cousin?" she asked in surprise. Brian shook his head. "Not personally; but I hope we will meet soon." "How did you end up here in the Phantom Zone?" she asked immediately. "I came here using a special device I invented; I was not sent here against my will, but I came here intentionally…to find you and free you."

Kara was getting more and more confused by the second. "Free me? You mean there's a way out?" she asked excitedly. Brian nodded. "Yes; there is a gate close to our position. It is a back door for any member of the House of El that gets trapped here; that's how Clark escaped when he was banished here by Zod." Kara was again surprised of his knowledge of her cousin, but did not ask how he knew. "Listen, I promise to explain once we are on Earth and find Clark." "I don't get it, why can't we escape the same way you got here?" He hesitated again, thinking of a logical answer.

"I'm afraid my device is what you'd call a "one way ticket". It can only send me here; I can't get out the same way. Our only means of escape is through that gate, and only you can open it; you have El blood in you. Will you come with me?" he asked, holding out his hand. Kara still hesitated of whether or not to trust him. "I swear I will protect you until we escape." he assured her. Without any other options, and thinking this might be her only chance of escape, took Brain's hand and ran for the gate.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Earth; Smallville Medical Center:

Clark was standing outside the emergency room, waiting to hear about Lex's condition. He waited an hour after he brought Lex in. Just then, one of the doctors came out. "How is Lex?" Clark asked. The doctor shook his head. "He'll live, but I'm afraid he's not speaking to anyone anytime soon." Clark was surprised. "What do you mean?" "Well, that is one nasty scar on his head. Whatever hit him had damaged part of his brain…the part that controls short-term memory. Right now, he is in a coma. We do not know when, or if, he will ever wake up. I'll tell you one thing though; if he does awaken, he might lose some recent memories."

Clark was stunned; the Fortress collapse did more damage than he thought. "It was a good thing you brought him here when you did; if not, Lex may not have lived at all. He is lucky to have a friend like you." The doctor then walked back into the emergency room. Clark felt disgusted from his last statement; he was _no_ friend of Lex…not anymore. Still, one good thing came out of this; Lex was no longer a threat to anyone, and he might forget what he just found out about Clark. With no reason to stick around, Clark headed back to his house at the Kent farm.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

When he got back, Clark went up to the loft. He couldn't believe what happened recently: Lana left him, possibly for good; Kara was taken from him again and is in who knows where; and Chloe was arrested. Clark looked out the loft window and felt more alone than ever. He lost the first woman he ever loved once more, and he knew she wouldn't want him to hold back. Lana wanted him to be the man he was meant to be; that the world needed him a lot more than she did. Clark stood there for a while and pondered over what she said in her message.

For a long time, Clark only thought of what he wanted; what made him happy. But Lana's departing words made him really think. _'Maybe Lana's right.'_ He thought. _'Maybe I should do more than protect the people I love…but I still have something to take care of.'_ Clark had made up his mind; he will honor Lana by starting to be more than he has ever been. First things first, he would have to help Chloe; she was still held by the Department of Domestic Security and he knew she needed him now. There was nothing he could do about Kara; he did not where she was or how to find her.

It pained Clark that he may never see his cousin again, but now he must focus on the people that he _can_ save…starting with Chloe. He was just about to leave the barn when he saw two people standing right outside. One of them he had never seen before, but he knew the other one very well. Clark smiled widely at the sight of his cousin, who was smiling back. "Kara?" Clark said breathlessly. Kara nodded as ran up to him and hugged him tightly. Clark hugged her back just as tight. Once he released her, Clark felt a lot better.

"Kara, I thought I'd never see you again! Are you okay?" Kara nodded again. "I'm fine, Clark. Glad to be back home. What about you?" Clark shook his head. "It has been a mess since I got back from Krypton. What happened to you there? Where were you?" Kara frowned a little. "When Brainiac found out I contacted you, he imprisoned me in the Phantom Zone. I didn't know what happened to you after that." Clark then understood what Brainiac said about Kara earlier: _"I put her in a place where you will never see her again."_

Clark couldn't believe his cousin was back, when he thought she was gone forever. "How did you escape?" Kara smiled as she turned to her new friend. "I had help." Clark looked to where she was and saw the young boy he saw a second ago. He looked about Kara's age, who was smiling back. "Clark, this is Brian." Kara said as Brian walked up to them. "He showed me the gate that you escaped through when Zod trapped you in the Phantom Zone. Once we made sure none of the phantoms were around, I opened the gate. We both went through and I led him here, where I knew I'd find you." Clark looked at Brian suspiciously.

"He's from the Phantom Zone?" he asked. Clark had every right to be weary; every time he encountered something from the Phantom Zone, he knew he would end up fighting for his life; Raya was the only exception. Kara shook her head. "Not exactly; he came into the Phantom Zone using some kind of device he invented shortly after I arrived there. Clark, he entered there to free me." Clark went from happy to being confused. "He _wanted_ to free you? Why? And how did he know about the gate?" Kara shrugged.

"He says he knows everything about us; about you and me. Brian said he would explain more when we found you." Brian smiled. "It is an honor to meet you, Clark Kent. I do have some explaining to do, but I promise to tell you everything you need to know." Clark, though not sure of his intentions, felt grateful to him. "Thank you for brining my cousin back; she's the only family member from Krypton I have. She means so much to me." Brian nodded. "You're welcome." Kara then asked Clark everything that happened after he returned to Earth, but Clark shook his head.

"I'll tell you later, right now I have to help Chloe." Kara then looked concerned. "What happened to Chloe?" "Jimmy told me that Chloe was arrested by the DDS. I have to get her out." Kara was shocked. "Why was she arrested?" Clark shrugged. "Jimmy said Lex was behind it. I have to go." "Let me come with you." Kara said. Clark shook his head. "I can handle this; you and Brian stay here until I get back with Chloe."

He was about to speed away when Kara grabbed his arm; she was not the type of person to take "no" for an answer. "Clark, please; I want to help." Clark hesitated for a second, but Brian responded before he could. "Maybe Kara and I could both help, Clark." Clark and Kara both turned to Brian. "How can you help us?" Clark asked. Brian smiled widely. "Chloe is not the only one you know who knows how to use a computer…"

To be continued.


	3. Chapter 2 Fugitive

Hi

Hi. Here is Chapter 2! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 2- Fugitive

ADX Florence; Florence, Colorado:

Chloe Sullivan was locked in solitary confinement; at least she was safe from the other "murderous" inmates at that prison. The Department of Domestic Security saw fit to send her there for further interrogation and possible life imprisonment. Chloe had never been so scared in her life. She couldn't believe she got arrested right when Jimmy asked her to marry him…the most romantic thing that ever happened in her life, and it was ruined. Chloe wished she could have at least answered Jimmy's proposal before her incarceration.

Before she could ponder on what her answer to his question might have been, her cell door opened and a familiar face had entered. It was the same person that tried to get answers out of her last time: Vanessa Webber, an undercover agent for the DDS. Chloe hoped she'd never see her again after what happened at the Ace of Clubs. Vanessa smiled coldly as she closed the door behind her. "Well, Miss Sullivan, looks like you're finally where you belong." Chloe snorted. "Last time I checked, lady, the charges were dropped." Vanessa shook her head.

"I'm afraid that was a misunderstanding. You see, Lex Luthor explained that the charges were quite valid and requested to have you brought in at once; you were let go earlier because he thought he was wrong about you. He called the DDS a little while ago and said he realized you couldn't be trusted after all." Chloe's mouth fell open in shock. "_Lex_ had your people come busting in my place and cuff me!?" Vanessa nodded. "Why the hell would he?!" Chloe asked frantically.

"That's not my concern; all I care about is bringing in a dangerous terrorist conspirator." Chloe tried to slap her, but Vanessa caught her wrist and squeezed hard. Chloe winced from the pain, but still looked furious. "How many times do I have to tell you, bitch, I'm not part of a terrorist sleeper cell!" "Your hacking into highly classified government files would suggest otherwise." Vanessa then threw Chloe down on the floor. "Tell me what I want to know, or you will spend the rest of your life here!" Chloe stared back hatefully.

"I thought this place was for _men_ only." Chloe stated. Vanessa smirked. "I'm sure something can be arranged…now talk, Miss Sullivan!" Chloe shook her head. "I've got nothing to tell you...except that you couldn't be more wrong about me!" Vanessa dropped her smirk and looked like she lost all her patience. "Fine, I'll see to it that you _never_ see the light of day…" But before she could finish her sentence, the light in the cell went out. Besides the window near the ceiling, there was no other source of light.

Startled, she used the transmitter in her ear to talk to head of the prison. "What the hell just happened? The light in here went out!" "Sorry ma'am, but all the power in the facility is down. We don't know what caused it; we're checking it out now." Annoyed, Vanessa focused her attention back on Chloe. "What did you do?" Chloe shrugged. "Don't look at me; I couldn't do anything locked up in solitary." She quipped. Vanessa was about to attack her again when she heard yelling and loud noises in the prison hallways.

It sounded like someone, or more than one someone, was attacking the guards. She wondered what was going on. She faced Chloe again. "Don't move, Miss Sullivan!" she said warningly. She cautiously opened the door and peaked around to see what had happened. She didn't much of a look; for at that moment someone grabbed her and threw her all the way across the hall and landed hard on the floor, unconscious. Shocked and frightened, Chloe just stood there in her cell. That is, until the one responsible for the disturbances walked in with a smile.

Chloe smiled back; it was Clark. Without hesitating, Chloe hugged him and nearly cried. Clark patted her back softly. "It's okay Chloe; everything is going to be alright." Chloe was so happy to see him that she couldn't speak, but pulled herself together a second later. "I see you got Jimmy's message. Your timing is as good as always." Clark chuckled. "C'mon, we're getting you out of here." "We?" Chloe asked. "We," said Kara as she appeared outside the cell door. Chloe again looked shocked.

"Hold up; are you the _real_ Kara?" Kara seemed confused, but Clark answered for her. "Don't worry; that _is_ Kara." "I don't understand something; how did you find me?" Chloe asked. "We'll tell you everything back home." Kara said. Chloe nodded as Clark picked her up. "Kara, I'll take Chloe back to the farm; you pick up Brian and meet us there." "Got it." Kara said as she super sped away. "Who is Brian?" asked Chloe still in confusion. "That's what Kara and I are still trying to find out." Clark said as ran out carrying Chloe.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

Lois and Jimmy were trying to comfort each other; Jimmy called earlier and told Lois that her cousin was just arrested. Needless to say, Lois was shocked. "There has to be some kind of mistake; my cousin may be a computer wiz, but she's not terrorist material." Jimmy shook his head. "They caught her red-handed Lois; several firewalls had been breached from the computer at the Isis Foundation, and Chloe was the only one using it at the time. She never told me what she was doing, but I know for a fact that she would _never_ plot to cripple the country!"

Lois agreed with him on that last part. "I can't believe this has happened, and right after I proposed to her too." Jimmy said as held his face in his hands. Lois gasped. "You asked Chloe to marry you?" Jimmy nodded slowly. Lois smiled a little. "What did she say?" "She didn't get the chance to say anything; she was taken before she could answer. Now I don't know if I'll get another chance to find out." Jimmy began to sob quietly, while Lois just held his shoulder. They sat there on the couch, pondering what will happen to her.

To try to find out anything, Lois turned on the TV and switched to the News. "In today's top stories, multibillionaire Lex Luthor was brought into Smallville Medical Center recently. He has found with a large scar on his head and is, according to the doctors, currently in a coma. No one is sure if he will ever wake up. The cause of this is unknown…" Lois muted the TV and smiled. "At least there's some good news; Lex won't be around to boss us around at the Planet anymore." She and Jimmy laughed a bit. She decided to turn the sound back on.

"The Daily Planet is currently searching for a new editor in Mr. Luthor's place. Now on to the weather…" But before he could switch to the weather, he was quickly handed some new papers, and he looked stunned by what he read. "Ladies and gentle, we've just received some breaking news. Chloe Sullivan, former reporter for the Daily Planet and former CEO of the Isis Foundation, has just escaped the ADX Florence prison in Florence, Colorado." Lois and Jimmy were shocked to hear that new piece of news.

"Miss Sullivan was recently arrested by the Department of Domestic Security under suspicion that she was part of a terrorist plot to attack the U.S. According to one of the guards there, the power had gone out and someone had broken in and took her after knocking out all the other guards. The DDS considers her possibly armed and extremely dangerous. They have advised everyone to contact local authorities immediately if they know anything about her whereabouts…" Lois had turned off the TV.

"Bullshit! Chloe is not "armed and dangerous"; they are just saying that to get people to call the boys in blue!" Lois said in outrage. Jimmy was speechless. "Oh man, who could have taken her? Where is she?" he asked helplessly. Lois shook her head. "I don't know, but I hope she is alright." She immediately got up and headed to the door. "Where are you going?" Jimmy asked. "I'm going to tell Clark about Chloe's escape; maybe he could help us find her." Jimmy somehow didn't feel surprised; first Chloe goes to Clark when she's in trouble, and now Lois is.

"I'm coming with you." He said as he got up, but Lois said no. "You head back to your apartment and wait; I'll call you there if I find out anything. It's not safe to be around her right now; the DDS will come back here soon to find any leads on Chloe. I think it would be a good idea of both of us weren't here when they show up, don't you think?" Jimmy nodded in agreement as they both left the Talon and split up.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Kent Farm:

After the four of them got back, they sat at the kitchen table having some orange juice. Clark and Kara had introduced Brian to Chloe, who was amazed that he was the one who shut down the power at ADX Florence. "You did that? Really?!" she exclaimed. Brian smiled from his accomplishment. "Yes; I hacked into the power grid and security systems through the Isis Foundation computer hardware, and cut off their power supply." "With their security cameras and systems down, it was easy for me and Kara to brake in." Clark finished. "The guards were no problem, nor was that lady that held you in there." said a pleased Kara.

Chloe was totally stunned. "That is just…amazing! Even I couldn't pull that off!" Brian just continued to smile. Chloe then asked Clark the big question. "So tell me Clark, what happened while I was in the big house?" Clark quickly recounted everything that happened recently to both Chloe and Kara; they needed to know the whole story. He explained the events that happened from the time he returned from Krypton up to the moment Chloe was freed. Kara was angry for what Brainiac and Lex did; both at Brainiac pretending to be her and attacking Chloe, and at Lex for the Fortress collapse and nearly killing her cousin.

"When Lex placed that orb on the Fortress console, it shot me with some kind of beam and I fell to the ground. I couldn't move; Lex was probably able to control me then. But instead of making me his puppet, he just kneeled beside me and allowed the Fortress to crash on top of both of us. The orb's power must have been so intense that the Fortress couldn't handle it, so it fell apart. After all that was over, I was able to move again; the orb got smashed by one of the broken crystals. I don't know if the Fortress can be rebuilt after that."

"I can't believe all that; both of them deserved what was coming." Kara said after Clark was finished. Chloe was just as pissed. "I feel ya girl: those two were never my people. I'm glad we won't have to worry about either one anymore." Clark nodded in agreement. "Me too, but a part of me wanted to leave Lex behind and freeze to death. In the end, I just couldn't do it." Chloe patted his shoulder. "You were being _you_, Clark. No one can blame you for that." Clark smiled at his long time friend. Just then, Chloe turned to Brian.

"So, you know everything about Clark and Kara, huh?" Brian nodded. "How is it that you know so much anyway? And why did you free Kara from the Phantom Zone in the first place?" Clark and Kara also wanted answers. "I think now's a good time to tell us your story, Brian." said Clark. Brian, though nervous, nodded. He took a deep breath, and began. "Okay, here goes. First of all, I'm not exactly what I appear to be. I may look like a 21st century boy, but I'm not." The trio was confused now. "What do you mean by that?" asked Clark.

"I'm actually a 31st century boy; I came here 1000 years from the future." Now everyone was really confused. "You see, I'm a historian from Earth's far future, and I've done extensive research on both Clark and Kara; there is nothing about them I don't already know." Clark, Kara, and Chloe were all stunned. "I like history, especially Earth history. However, I've done research from other worlds too, such as Krypton." "How could you know anything about Krypton?" Kara asked. Brian continued as he turned to her.

"I learned it all from… going back to Krypton's past and did undercover research before it was destroyed. That device I used to enter the Phantom Zone was my time travel remote. It was set to take me to the past; I'll have to recalibrate it later in order for me to return to my time. That was why we couldn't escape from the Phantom Zone that way; it could only go one way in time, not both ways." "Why didn't you say that before?" Brian hesitated again. "We were in an extremely dangerous environment; I was in a bit of a rush to get out with you as fast as possible. I planned to tell you once we were safe on Earth."

Kara seemed to understand and smiled. "Thanks again for freeing me…it was a brave thing to do." Brian blushed a little from her gratitude. "It…was nothing." They were both silent for a moment, just looking at each other. Clark saw this and cleared his throat, quite loudly. "Brian, you still did not tell us _why_ you came here from the future. Why are you here?" Brian turned to Clark with a serious look on his face…very serious. "Alright, I've been saving this part for last, because it's the most important piece of my reason for being here. I've come here, and freed Kara, because…"

But before he could say anything more, they heard a loud knock at the front door. At first they thought it was the DDS coming to investigate about Chloe, but they sighed in relief when they heard Lois' voice. "Hey Smallville; I need to talk to you! I know you're not in bed yet!" Just when Clark got up to open the door, Chloe stopped him. "Clark, Lois can't know I'm here!" she whispered. Clark's eyes widened in surprise. "Why not?" he whispered back. "If Lois sees me here and is later questioned by the DDS, she'll be put under a lot of pressure to answer; I can't let her go through that!"

"How do we know she hasn't been questioned already?" Kara whispered. Chloe shook her head. "I don't care, she cannot find out I'm here!" Lois knocked a little louder. "Smallville, open up! It's about Chloe!" she shouted. Clark quickly decided to hide Chloe from her cousin. "Alright, you stay here in the kitchen with Brian; Kara and I will talk to Lois." "Thanks." Chloe said as she made sure that she and Brian were out of sight. "Wait; why am I hiding?" Brian asked. "Because, it will look less suspicious if it's just me and Kara she's talking too." Clark answered as he and Kara walked to the front door.

Once Clark saw that both blonds were properly hidden, Clark opened the door. Lois sighed heavily. "It's about time! What were you doing, counting chicken eggs!" she said as she walked in. Clark sighed himself as he, Lois and Kara sat on the couch. Clark and Kara tried to look innocent. "Is everything alright, Lois?" Clark asked casually. Lois shook her head. "No, nothing is alright Clark. Jimmy told me about Chloe being arrested, and then I just saw on the news that she has been busted out and is on the run! Have you not heard about this yet?!"

Clark and Kara briefly eyed each other. "No, that's the first we've heard about it." Clark answered steadily. "We were busy cleaning the kitchen and had the radio on…really loud." Kara added. Lois felt that that was an odd answer, but did not want to press on it just yet. "But that is not all; they said that Chloe is "armed and extremely dangerous"! I can tell you this; anyone who knows Chloe Sullivan as long as we have isn't going to believe that crap!" Clark and Kara pretended to be surprised. "No, of course not." Clark replied in a fake smile.

"Hey Lois, did you check the time? It's getting late; maybe you should head back to the Talon and…call it a night." Kara said while slightly shifting in her seat. Lois raised an eyebrow. "I know it is past eleven, but I wanted to let you know about Chloe." Clark continued to smile. "Well, you told us the news; which we are very grateful for. I think you should get some sleep." Lois was definitely suspicious now and smiled mischievously. "Hold on; are you two _trying_ to get me to leave?" Clark and Kara shook their heads.

"No Lois! We just feel that you should get some shut eye; it has been a long day." Kara said, pretending to be surprised. Lois started to put two and two together and made a wild guess. "Chloe's here isn't she?" she asked. The Kryptonian cousins were really nervous now. "What?! Why would you say that Lois?" Clark asked innocently. "Because you and your blond cousin have been acting odd since I got here. "Cleaning the kitchen with the radio on." Please! If that is best excuse you got for taking so long to answer the door, then you are the worst liars I know!"

"I heard no noise from inside the house when I got to the front door, and Chloe's report would have been announced during your "cleaning time". Yet you two are claiming that you have not heard anything about her before I arrived. And now you are rushing me to get my ass out of here. _Why?_" Lois asked suspiciously. Clark and Kara looked at each again, and suddenly, Clark shrugged. "Alright, you win; Kara and I are hiding something and we didn't want you to know about it." Kara stared shockingly at her cousin. "Clark! We can't tell her!" Clark shook his head.

"Face it Kara; Lois busted us for keeping a secret. I've known her long enough to know that she never stops pursuing something until she gets it." Lois had put her hands on her hips on triumph. "Ha! I knew you two were hiding Chloe! Where is she, upstairs?" Clark shook his head again. "Not so fast Lois; I never said Kara and I were hiding Chloe." Lois frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Oh yeah, then what are you two hiding from me?" Clark took a deep breath and answered. "We didn't want you to know that…Oliver is coming here in a few minutes and I thought it would be best if you weren't here for his visit."

Lois was taken by surprise; and apparently, so was Kara. "You see, Oliver gave me a call just now and wanted to offer me a job. He told me that he would be coming here to bring an application for me to fill out. I told Kara that you and Oliver used to date and when we heard you knocking at the door, she and I both agreed to have you come and go before he arrives. We didn't want to tell you because we thought it might bring back any bad feelings you had when you two last saw each other."

Lois changed her expression from suspicion to understanding. She smiled and gave Clark a hug. When she let go, she smiled. "Clark that was probably the most thoughtful, sensitive thing you have ever done for me." She then turned to Kara. "I'm sorry you got in the middle of this, and I'm sorry for being so accusing." Kara quickly overcame her shock and smiled. "It's okay; you had a good reason to suspect us." Lois nodded and headed to the front door. Clark opened it. "Goodnight Lois." He said. Lois smiled back. "Goodnight Smallville, you too Kara." The moment the door was closed, the cousins sighed in relief.

At that moment, Chloe and Brian came out to the living room and sat on the sofa. "That was way too close! Good thinking Clark!" Chloe said. Clark smiled as he sat down on the chair. "Thanks." "Who is Oliver? Did he and Lois really date?" Kara asked. Clark chuckled. "Oliver Queen is a good friend of mine and Chloe's; he also knows my secret, but I trust him with my life. And yeah, he and Lois dated. They fell apart a while back and haven't been together since." "What exactly happened btw them?" Kara further inquired.

Clark shook his head. "I don't think it would be right for me to talk to anyone about their love lives; that's their business." Kara seemed to understand. "I guess you're right." She then changed the topic to Chloe. "So, how are we going to help Chloe? The police will still be looking for her." Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I'm probably on America's Most Wanted right now. How is a fugitive like me going to convince them that I'm no threat to the country?" Clark smiled. "Don't worry; we'll find a way. Until then, you can hide here on the farm with us." "Thanks Clark." Chloe said appreciatively.

"Every problem has a solution, a question an answer. We just need to think of the most effective one that might work." They all agree with Brian. "Hey Clark, could I some more of that orange juice please?" he asked. Clark nodded. "Sure, be right back." Clark said as he got on his feet. "No need to get off your comfy chair Clark. I got a cup right here in my hand." Clark, Kara, Chloe and Brian froze instantly. They all turned to the kitchen and saw with shock that it was Lois. She was leaning against the wall with a small cup of juice in her hand. She never looked so smug.

"Okay Smallville, time to _really_ fess up. If there is damn good reason for you hiding my cousin from the law here and not telling me, I want to know now."

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 3 Innocent

Hey people! Chapter 3 is right here for ya! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 3- Innocent

Kent Farm:

Lois was standing just outside the kitchen waiting for her answer. Clark and company definitely weren't prepared for this. "Lois, I…uh, I thought you left?" Clark asked. Lois smirked. "I almost did; you nearly had me with that Oliver lie. Right after I walked out the door, I had a gut feeling that you still weren't being truthful. I sneaked around the back and watched Chloe and some other guy come out of the kitchen.

"I then walked in without making a peep and heard you guys chitchatting. C'mon Clarky; you can't get rid of me that easily." Clark and the others were surprised that Lois came in without noticing. "Lois, how much did you hear when you walked in?" Kara asked. Lois continued to smirk triumphantly. "Right when you asked how you guys were going to help Chloe." Clark and the others sighed in relief silently; Lois had not heard about Oliver knowing a secret about Clark. "We can explain." Clark said. "Then let's hear it." Lois said impatiently.

Before Clark or Kara could say anything, Chloe came forward. "Lois, don't be mad at Clark and Kara; I asked them not to tell you I was here." Lois then turned to Chloe with shock. "What?! Chloe, you're my cousin; we're family! Why would you want to keep me in the dark about you hiding here? Didn't you think that I wanted to know you were safe and sound?!" Lois replied. "She did not want to worry you, and she was afraid that the DDS might pressure you into telling them where she was if you knew." Brian said calmly. Lois turned to Brian, then back at Chloe.

"Is that true?" Chloe nodded. Lois hung mouth open for a moment before closing it again. "Lois, I'm sorry I didn't want you to know; I was just trying to keep you out of harm's way." Lois didn't say anything, but instead hugged Chloe who hugged back. When they broke the hug, Lois smiled warmly. "Hey, the important thing is that you're alright. That's all that matters to me." Chloe smiled back. Lois turned back to Clark and Kara. "Thanks for keeping Chloe safe here." They smiled back. Lois then sat down with everyone else, and took a sip of juice.

"Alright, now that I know that my cousin is nice and safe, there are a few questions I want answered." Everyone felt tense again. "First of all, how did you really bust out of that prison, Chloe? That place is as tight as a drum! And how did you get here so fast without anybody noticing? Also, how did you three get involved in this?" They were all silent for a moment, trying to find the best cover story. Brian decided to explain. "Well, did the news mention that the ADX Florence's power went out?" Lois nodded. "Well, I was responsible for that."

Lois's mouth fell open again, as well as everyone else's mouths. Clark, Kara, and Chloe couldn't believe that Brian was telling her nothing but the truth. Still, they did not say anything. "Excuse me? _You_ shut down that place? How?" Brian told her he hacked into their systems with the Isis Foundation hardware and cut off their power. Lois just sat there in surprise. "Man, and I thought Chloe and Jimmy were good with hacking; you might give Nahshon Even-Chaim a run for his money!" Nobody laughed, though Brian did smile from her praise. It was then that Lois realized that she didn't know who he was.

"By the way, smart guy, who exactly are you? And why would you want to break my cousin out of jail?" The rest of the gang was still tense; Brian can't tell her that he was from the future! Brian thought of a good story in a matter of seconds and told her confidently. "I wanted to help Chloe because…she's my sister." Lois and everyone else's mouths fell open instantly again. "What?" Lois asked. _"What?"_ Chloe asked just as shockingly. Brian nodded and smiled. "Yes, it is true: I am Brian Sullivan, Chloe's younger brother."

The room was silent for a long moment, allowing Lois to digest this unexpected information. "No way; that's impossible! We all know that Chloe is an only child; her mother, my Aunt Moira, had no other kids before she became catatonic! How can you possibly be Chloe's brother?!" Lois asked unconvincingly. Brian explained without hesitation. "I was born a year after Chloe's 6th birthday; nobody knew about me except our mother. Almost immediately after mom left Chloe and dad, she discovered that she was pregnant. She gave birth to me in that mental hospital she was in and gave me up for adoption and left a note for me to read when I was old enough to understand. Not long afterward, she became catatonic.

"I was taken in by a nice family in Metropolis and they raised me like a son. After I graduated from high school, my foster parents decided to give me my birth mother's note. It explained why she gave me up and she thought I would be better off not knowing that she was a "freak"." Brian paused for a moment to convince Lois that he truly felt sorrow. He went on. "Soon I learned of my real family and Chloe; she was a brilliant young reporter from Smallville High and used to work for the Daily Planet. When I heard that she had been arrested, the only thing I thought about was to help her. So I came here to Smallville to find any leads, which was how I met Clark and Kara."

Brian paused again and looked at Clark and Kara with praise. "They told me all they knew about Chloe, which made me really want to meet her more. They told me that Chloe used to run the Isis Foundation after her best friend, Lana Lang, left and thought I could use the hardware there to track down Chloe. I was top of my class when it came to computers; in a matter of moments I discovered Chloe was at ADX Florence…" Lois interrupted him. "Hold up pal: Clark and Kara _knew_ you were Chloe's brother when she was brought here, and didn't even bother to mention it her?!"

Clark decided to jump in. "We felt it was Brian's business to tell Chloe, not me or Kara." "Yeah, Brian didn't get the chance to tell her before you arrived." Kara replied. Lois seemed to buy that. "Alright, I guess all that makes sense. However, I still don't understand who broke her out and decided to bring her here." "I'll explain." Clark said. "When Brian found out where Chloe was and said he could shut down the security, I decided that Kara and I would get her out." Lois' eyes widened. "You two broke out Chloe, not some S.W.A.T. team?!" Clark nodded. Kara took over.

"We got into Clark's truck, drove to that prison and waited for Brian to shut down the power and open any security locked doors. Once he made his move, Clark and I made ours. We snuck in and knocked out any guards where Chloe's cell was. We got her out and drove back here at top speed." When everyone was finished, Lois was stunned. "You Kents sure know how to _not_ play safe!" They all laughed. To help convince Lois more, Chloe turned to talk to Brian.

"Wait, there is still one thing. When I talked to mom briefly last year, she didn't mention you at all. Care to explain that to Lois?" Chloe said with a small wink. Brian caught on and came up with another logical answer. "She didn't want you to know about me; our mom wanted me to live a normal life, a life away from Smallville. As much as it may have pained her too, she didn't want you to try and find me so that I could live in peace…not knowing or considering what I wanted." Brian answered with a convincingly painful voice. Chloe hugged him briefly and smiled.

"Wow, I can't believe I have a brother! It's just amazing!" Chloe said, pretending to be excited. Lois smiled. "Well, I'm happy you two found your way to each other after all these years…today feels like a family reunion, doesn't it?" "It sure does." Kara said, smiling at Clark, who smiled back. Before anyone could say anything else, they heard sirens and lights outside the windows. The whole group got on their feet in fear; the police are right outside. Chloe instantly panicked.

"Oh my God; they're here!" Chloe said. Clark peeked out through the curtains and saw about a dozen police cars with officers everywhere. "There are police everywhere. Looks like they know Chloe is here." Kara shook her head. "But how; nobody else knows that she's here and we weren't followed on our way back!" Kara said as they heard the front and back doors being broken down. Policemen armed to the teeth surrounded the group while pointing their guns at them. "All of you put your hands up! Now!" one of them said.

Clark and Kara knew that nothing the police could do could hurt them, but they don't want to expose their powers…so they had to do what they're told. Chloe, Lois, and Brian put their hands up as well. At that moment, Vanessa Webber strolled in with a bandage on her cheek. She smiled at Chloe, coldly. "Nice to bump into you again, Miss Sullivan. Did you really think you could escape justice that easily?" Chloe snarled. "How did you know I was here Webber?" Vanessa pointed at her shirt. "A small tracker was placed on you when you were incarcerated; a precaution incase you tried to escape. Glad to see it worked."

Vanessa began walking to Chloe, but Clark stepped in btw them. Vanessa eyed him dangerously. "Young man, move aside; you and your little gang are in more than enough trouble already." Clark didn't budge. "No; you're not taking Chloe. You are wrong about her!" Kara spoke too. "He's right; Chloe is not a threat to National Security!" "My cousin is innocent!" Lois said. "This is all a huge misunderstanding!" Brian replied. "Quiet!" Vanessa snapped, not listening one bit. "You all can't deny what she has been charged with, and now you all are just as guilty as she is!"

The group looked shocked. "You are all under arrest for helping a dangerous criminal escape from a highly secured prison and hiding her from the law! The DDS does not allow felons to walk free!" Clark was outraged. "We've known Chloe Sullivan for years, and she would never _ever_ do anything to hurt this country! She is not dangerous!" "Then explain why she hacked into the nation's security network and accessed restricted information!" "Because I told her too." said a new voice just behind Vanessa.

She turned around and saw, with Clark and company's surprise, that it was the CEO of Queen Industries himself. "Oliver Queen?" Vanessa said in shock. Oliver smiled. "The one and only." Clark didn't understand how Oliver knew what was going on; he and everyone else just watched and listened. "_You_ told Miss Sullivan to hack our network?!" Vanessa asked incredulously. Oliver nodded. "Yep, Chloe did what she was told…and you are willing to arrest her and her cousin and friends for this, I see." Vanessa did not move.

"Mr. Queen, why…" "She is my part time assistant; she helps manage my company's financial and cooperate files and keeps my office nice and tidy. I asked Chloe to do the hack because I was testing to see how good she was with finding other hackers; hackers that actually _are_ a threat to the States. Chloe's performance has suggested that the system may need a few upgrades; it has been running a little slow since 9/11." Vanessa and everyone else were astounded by this information. Before Vanessa could interrupt, Oliver continued while smiling.

"I assure you, Chloe's "hacking" was a legit test authorized by me and the Head of the DDS." "Why was I not informed of this?" Vanessa asked furiously. "The DDS tried to get a hold of you after you arrested my employee, but I heard you weren't taking any calls. So I decided to come out here myself to straighten things out. Good thing I did too; you were about to arrest all the wrong people!" Oliver exclaimed. Vanessa didn't say anything for a moment, and then she narrowed her eyes at the billionaire.

"How did you know that we were here?" she asked suspiciously. Oliver had an answer for that too. "When I saw on the news that Chloe had escaped, and saw several police cars heading toward the Kent farm from my apartment, I figured it was where you'd find her." Vanessa can't seem to find another question to stump him, but she still eyed him coldly. "If I were you, Miss Webber, I'd drop the charges right now and call it a night. I'm sure Chloe and her friends have had enough from you and your false accusations." he said smoothly.

Vanessa, furious and frustrated as she was, gave the order. "Very well; the charges against Chloe Sullivan and her friends have been dropped. They are free to go." She then ordered all the police men to vacate the house immediately. Clark and the others were relieved that no one was going to jail, especially Chloe. As Vanessa walked out the door, she turned back to Oliver. "Next time you pull a stunt like this, make sure that _I_ know about it too!" she warned as she left. When all the police cars had gone, Clark shook Oliver's hand.

"Thanks Oliver; I thought we were goners for a second." Oliver smiled warmly. "Yeah well, I figured I had to do something to get the DDS off your backs. So I thought _'What the hell?'_ and get you guys out of the fire." The group laughed. "Thanks for saving our asses, Ollie; we owe you big time." Chloe said appreciatively, as well as everyone else did. Oliver shook his head. "Ah, don't worry about it; just being a Good Samaritan for the day." Lois then stepped up to him. "Hey um, Ollie?" Oliver looked at Lois affectionately. "Yeah Lois, something on your mind?"

Lois shifted her position a little bit. "So, you are not here to offer Clark a job then?" Oliver then looked confused. "Who said I would offer Clark a job?" Clark stepped up to him now. "Don't worry about it; that was a lie to get Lois to leave in a hurry." Oliver nodded. "Oh, I see." Suddenly, Clark had an idea; one that one help him honor Lana. "Hey Oliver, I would like to work for you if you don't mind." Oliver and the gang were surprised to hear that from Clark. "Really? I don't think there are any company positions open…" But Clark stopped him there.

"Don't you remember when you asked me to be part of a special team of your employees last year, and I turned you down?" Oliver didn't get it at first, but a few moments later he understood what Clark was talking about; and the thought excited him. "Yes, I remember. There is still an opening or two on that specific team…you finally ready to give it a shot?" Oliver asked. Clark then held out his hand, smiling. "If you still need someone like me." Oliver smiled and shook his hand. "Alright then; meet me at my apartment tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 and we'll talk."

Lois and Kara did not know what they were talking about; but Chloe and Brian did, and they smiled for Clark finally stepping up. Before Oliver left, he eyed the two other people he didn't know. "Say, who are your other two blond guests anyway?" Clark chuckled. "Oliver Queen, this is my cousin Kara, and Chloe's brother Brian." Oliver shook their hands and felt surprised. "You never told me you had a brother." Ollie said to Chloe. Chloe smiled wildly and laughed. "I didn't know it myself until tonight." she said. Oliver laughed a little himself as he looked at both Kara and Brian.

"It's nice to meet you two." "Thanks, same to you." Kara said politely. "I also enjoyed meeting you, and thanks again for clearing my sister's name." Brian replied. Oliver nodded. "No problem. Well, it's getting late I think we could all use a good night's sleep. Don't you guys agree?" They smiled and nodded. "Goodnight guys. See you tomorrow Clark." He said as he walked out and drove back to his apartment. Lois felt bad when he left, but she quickly got over it. "So, who's up for a little party with junk food and a movie to celebrate?" Clark and the others laughed once more at her request, but decided to celebrate Chloe's freedom with it anyway. "I'll pick out the movie." Clark said as the others got in the mood for the late night entertainment.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

He was watching the procedures being done by his men. Just as he was about to get a closer look than from his office window, he got a call on his cell phone. When he saw the number was titled "unknown", he instantly knew who it must be. He immediately picked up and spoke professionally. "I'm here." He waited for his reply. _"Is everything proceeding as planned?"_ said the voice on the phone. He shook his head. "We've barely just got our hands on the subjects; it's going to take a while before they are ready for any action." The other voice did not sound very pleased.

"_That is not what I wanted to hear. I want progress, not excuses."_ The man looked felt afraid. "This kind of thing can't be rushed; it takes time. You have to be patient." The voice on the phone grunted. _"Let me know the instant the subjects are ready to begin the plan."_ The man nodded. "I'll do that." He then hung up the phone and resumed watching the experiments. He smiled deviously as he waited for the day that the Earth will belong to him..._and_ his master.

To be continued.


	5. Chapter 4 Successor

Hey! Here is chapter 4! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 4- Successor

The Talon:

Jimmy and Chloe were having a nice late breakfast in her room. Jimmy was so happy to have Chloe back that he almost couldn't eat. Chloe was just as happy. "This is _so_ good! You've definitely gotten better at making omelets!" Jimmy smiled back. "Well, I took a few lessons from watching the Food Network recently. Glad to see it paid off." They laughed happily. "I'm so glad Oliver Queen bailed you out last night; I owe him a lot." Chloe nodded. "Oliver is a nice guy, but not nearly as nice as you." She said affectionately. Jimmy blushed.

After they had finished and cleaned the dishes, Chloe checked the time. "Well, I better be off to the Isis Foundation. See ya later." "Wait." Jimmy said. Chloe turned around, curious. "What is it?" Summoning up the courage, Jimmy answered. "We still have a little bit of unfinished business." He took out the plastic ring from his pocket; the same ring that he offered Chloe when he proposed. Chloe gasped. "Oh God; I forgot about what happened before I got busted!" Jimmy nodded. "You didn't get a chance to answer. So, now that you are officially off the wanted posters…will you marry me?"

Chloe stood there and thought about it. She then walked up to Jimmy and cupped his face in her hands. She smiled. "Jimmy Olson…of course I'll marry you." She whispered. Jimmy smiled back, feeling happier than he has ever been. "Really?" Chloe nodded as she let Jimmy place the ring on her finger. "Really." They then kissed passionately.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

Clark had just arrived at Oliver's apartment, where the billionaire had been waiting for him. He wasn't alone though; the rest of the team was there as well, no doubt wanting to officially accept their friend in their ranks. There was Bart Allen, aka Impulse; Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman; Victor Stone, aka Cyborg; and Dinah Lance, aka Black Canary. They were all happy to see Clark. "Hey amigo; welcome to the family!" Bart said jokingly. Clark laughed at the speedster. "I see Oliver told you all the news." They all nodded.

"When Ollie told us you finally decided to join the club, bro, we were ecstatic." Said AC. "Yeah, we figured it was about time you stepped up. Good to have you aboard, man." Victor said. "This team needed more muscle, so it was good you came when you did." Dinah replied. Clark just smiled at them. Oliver then walked up to Clark. "Clark Kent, "Boyscout", welcome to the team." Clark and Oliver then shook hands. Clark sighed. "Oliver, I'll join under two conditions." Oliver looked surprised. "Name them."

"First; don't call me "Boyscout" anymore; if I'm going to have a codename like everyone else here, I want to pick it." Oliver smirked. "Okay; I can do that. What about you guys?" he asked the rest of the team. They chuckled, but agreed. Oliver then turned back to Clark. "What's condition #2?" Clark then took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Oliver; it had the House of El symbol on it. "When you have a "disguise" made for me like you have for the others, I want this symbol on it."

Oliver looked perplexed at the S inside diamond symbol. "Where did you find this? I've never seen a symbol like this before." Clark smiled. "Let's just say its family related. Will you do it?" Once again, Oliver smirked and nodded. "I can make that happen." Clark smiled back. "Thanks Oliver." "I'll have my tailors get to work on it right away." Clark nodded. "Thanks." "Hey guys; I think you should check the news." Victor said as he turned on the TV. Everyone got in front and watched with interest.

"In today's top news, we have just been informed that Luthorcorp has found Lex Luthor's replacement as CEO of the company." The TV then showed a picture of the successor, and it was a face that Clark recognized instantly. "Lucas," he said irritably. "Lucas Luthor, who claims to be the half brother of Lex and son of his late father Lionel Luthor, has taken over the family business this morning. Lucas claims he is capable of running the company just as easily as Lex had. Speaking of replacements, the Daily Planet has hired Perry White as Chief Editor. Perry White used to be…"

Victor turned the TV off; he and the others turned to Clark. "I take it you two have crossed paths before?" Oliver asked. Clark nodded. "I met him years ago, back when Lex and I were still friends." "Is he really Lex's half brother?" Dinah asked. "Yeah, he is. He was given up for adoption when he was born, and grew up on instability and poverty in various foster homes. Lucas is not a nice guy; he likes to get what he wants and does not feel sorry about it later. He wasn't as dangerous as Lex was when I last saw him; but he could have changed over the years." Clark said. Oliver nodded.

"Sounds like we should keep an eye on this guy." The team nodded. "Maybe I'll go and have a little chat with him." Clark said. "Good idea; the more we know about him, the better." AC said. As Clark was about to leave, Bart zoomed in front of him. "Clark, could you do me a personal favor?" Clark shook his head. "No, I'm not going to ask Chloe if she'll date you; she still has a boyfriend." Bart lowered his head and sighed heavily. "Aw man, you read me like a book." The whole team laughed as Clark left.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Luthorcorp CEO Office:

Lucas was doing some paper work when he had a visitor. He looked up and smiled as Clark stepped in. "Well, well; long time no see Clark. I guess you've heard the news about Luthorcorp's successor, huh?" he asked. Clark didn't look happy. "Unfortunately, yes." He replied. Lucas shook his head. "C'mon man, don't tell me you still got a grudge against me? That was a long time ago. Can we just forgive and forget?" Lucas asked as he got up and held out his hand to Clark. He didn't move. "You elbowed me during a basketball game and attacked my dad from behind." Clark said viciously. Lucas instantly withdrew his hand.

"I guess some people don't change." Lucas said coldly. "Have you heard what happened to your father and Lex?" Clark asked after a moment of silence. Lucas nodded. "Yeah I did; as much as I despised my father, the fact that he killed himself shocked me." He said almost sorrowfully. "As for Lex, I was surprised even more; how the hell did he injure himself like that?" Clark shrugged. "No idea." Lucas walked back to his desk and leaned on it. "Well, whatever happened, I intend to do him proud. He protected me these last several years and I'm going to pay him back by running his company at its best." Lucas said seriously.

"Good for you." Clark replied unenthusiastically. "If you got nothing nice to say Clark, you should leave now. Besides, I have a ton of work to do." Lucas said irritatingly. Clark nodded and headed out the door. Right after the door closed, Lucas' phone rang and he picked it up. "Lucas Luthor," he said businesslike. As he heard the other line, he became more cheerful. "Great work; that will speed things up a bit." The other voice talked again and Lucas nodded. "However, we need more to get everything ready. You can find more of that stuff at a Queen Industries warehouse in Star City.

"I'm sure that the owner wouldn't mind if we _borrowed_ some of his resources." Lucas heard the voice say the job will be done. "Glad to hear that. Go to Warehouse #5 on the South side of the city tonight. Let me know when you have it all, Mr. Corben." Lucas then hung up the phone and returned to his paperwork. Little did he know that Clark had super eves dropped on the whole conversation and had gone to warn Oliver at once.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Kara was feeding the horses at the stables while Brian tended to piling up hay. They've been doing chores all morning and both decided to take a break. As they sat in the loft in the barn, Kara complimented on Brian for his work. "Thanks; I've never been much of a farmer, but I know how it is done." Kara nodded. "Clark taught me the basics. So, where is he anyway? I haven't seen him since he left." Brian shook his head. "He said he would see Oliver at his apartment and be back soon. We'll just have to wait." Kara then asked him another question.

"So, when are you going to tell me and Clark why you came here from the future; you said nothing at breakfast?" "I'll tell you and Clark after he gets back, I promise." He said with a smile. Kara pecked him on the cheek and smiled. "I'll hold you to that." Brian blushed furiously and looked away. "Uh, can I get you anything?" Brian asked shakily. "Yeah, some water please." "I'll be uh…right back." Brian got up and went to get a glass of water. As he left, Kara thought how sweet he was, not to mention how cute he was when he blushed…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's apartment:

Oliver wasn't happy to hear about Clark's discovery. "Lucas is going to steal from one of _my_ warehouses?!" Clark nodded in confirmation. "I heard him talking to someone named Corben on the phone about it. From what I overheard, Corben had already stolen some things for him. Now Lucas wants him to get more from one your warehouses in Star City." "What did this Corben guy steal for him?" Dinah asked. "A rare titanium/iron alloy; apparently it's valuable to Lucas. He thinks that more can be found in a Queen Industries warehouse there."

"Do you know which warehouse it is?" Oliver asked. Clark nodded again. "Warehouse #5 on the South side; he told Corben to go there tonight to pick up the metal." Oliver slammed his fist on the wall in anger. "That son of a bitch! He _is_ just like his half brother!" No one on the team disagreed with him there. Once he had calmed down, Oliver decided to take action. "Alright, looks like it's time for some action. I'm going to Warehouse #5 and wait for this Corben to show up. Clark and Victor, you come with me; if he's stolen stuff like this before, he might be dangerous."

They both agreed. "Oh, Clark; I thought you might like to know that your suit is ready." Oliver said with a smirk. Clark raised his eyebrows. "It is?" he asked. "Go put it on and meet me and Victor at the warehouse. It's in the back room; I can't wait to see you in action in it." Apprehensively, Clark walked into the back room and saw the suit on a hanger. When Clark saw the symbol of his Kryptonian house on it, he smiled. He then took the suit down and began to put it on.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Queen Industries Warehouse #5:

It was near midnight in Star City. Not a lot of people were on the streets at this hour, but one person definitely was. He smiled as he arrived at his destination: Warehouse #5 of Queen Industries. This man was around 24, tall and slender, gray eyes, dirty blonde hair, and wore a simple t-shirt underneath a light grey jacket with jeans. He may look like everyone else, but deep down, he knows he's more than that…

When he got to the door, he found it locked. Smirking, he crushed the lock with his bare hand and opened the door. When he stepped inside, he thought it would be a piece of cake. "This is going to be like taking candy from a very rich baby." He said as he closed the door behind him. "Babies don't like their candy being taken; it makes them cry." The man turned around to see three people standing in front of him.

One was the Green Arrow; the intruder heard about him in the news. The green leather and mechanical crossbow and arrows were a definite give away. The man on Green Arrow's left was Cyborg in his silver/black costume. The third one, on Green Arrow's right, was a man wearing what appeared to be a blue jumpsuit with red boots, red gloves, and a red sleeveless jacket. He was also wearing dark yellow shades. On the man's chest was an S inside a diamond. The intruder was surprised to see other people in the warehouse.

"I've heard of you leather boy: You're Green Arrow!" Green Arrow nodded. "That's right Corben; and I'm not alone. These are my pals; to my left is Cyborg, and the guy on my right is Steel." "We've come to stop you." Steel said. Corben was caught of guard. "How do you know my name? How did you know that I was going to be here?" "That doesn't matter pal, you're not leaving with what you've come for." Cyborg replied. Corben simply cracked his knuckles, which oddly sounded metallic. "Well, looks like I'm going to have some fun tonight!"

He tried to punch Green Arrow, but Steel threw his fist and met Corben's, which sent Corben flying into a crate near the door. Steel shook his fist and massaged it. "You alright Steel?" Green Arrow asked. Steel nodded. "Yeah, but his fist…it felt like it was made of some tough metal." Just then, Corben got back up, completely unharmed. However, a huge part of his face had torn off…to reveal a mechanical face beneath it. Green Arrow's team was shocked. "What the hell are you?" Cyborg asked.

Corben smiled as he ripped off the remains of his "human" face. "I was once a man, but now…I'm Metallo!" Metallo then ran at Steel, wanting payback for that last blow. Steel was ready this time; he hit him with a powerful uppercut that sent Metallo flying into another bunch of crates. Steel super sped over there and grabbed Metallo by the shirt and threw him down hard. "You're really tough, but not tough enough!" Metallo said as he got back up and head butted Steel, which caused him to recoil a little. That gave enough time for Metallo to deliver an uppercut of his own and made Steel fall hard on his back.

Metallo thought he got him, but to his shock Steel got back up instantly. "Impossible! How can you still be conscious?" Steel smirked as he rammed into Metallo at top speed; the strong impact made him flew into a big metal crate hard. "Looks like Steel's got this one in the bag." Cyborg said in amusement. "No kidding; I'm glad he finally decided to join the team." Green Arrow replied with pride in his voice. Steel approached the apparently defeated Metallo and held both of his arms so that he could use them again.

"Talk Metallo: Who ordered you to come here? What does your boss want with the alloy you've been stealing for him?" Once again, Metallo was surprised. "How do you know all that?" "We're the ones who want answers, pal. Now talk." Green Arrow said as he and Cyborg approached. Even though he couldn't smile with his mechanical mouth, he could still laugh. "I'm not telling you anything! I'd rather be dismantled than tattletale!" "That can be arranged." Green Arrow replied. "But I think there is another way to get answers out of you." He then turned to Cyborg.

"Cyborg, hack into his systems and see if you can find anything." Cyborg smirked. "No problem, GA." Steel held Metallo firmly as Cyborg found a data terminal on his right temple. Cyborg plugged himself in and began scanning, which was making Metallo feel pain inside his head. "Stop that! STOP THAT!!" Suddenly, his chest opened and a bright green glow appeared…and it was causing Steel a huge amount of pain. Steel collapsed on the floor, to the shock of his teammates. "Steel, what's wrong?" Green Arrow asked. Steel brought his head up slowly. "His chest…"

Steel knew instantly what was inside Metallo's chest that hurt him so much; it was a huge chunk of kryptonite. Metallo took advantage of this distraction and ripped out Cyborg's probes and knocked him halfway across the warehouse. Green Arrow tried to load one of his arrows, but Metallo punched him in the gut hard and Green Arrow fell on his knees, gasping for breath. Metallo then focused on Steel, who was still writhing in pain. "So, something _does_ hurt you after all? You don't like green rocks, huh? Maybe I'll give you more of it until you die!"

He then punched Steel in the face, which caused it bleed. Metallo picked up Steel by the throat and began choking him. "Now I wonder what will kill you first…the meteor rock in my chest, or my hand cutting off your air supply! Let's see!" Green Arrow just got up on his knees and loaded one of his explosive arrows into his crossbow and fired it at Metallo's head. The resulting blast shook Metallo and caused him to release Steel. Unfortunately, the explosion did no visible damage. Metallo turned around to face Green Arrow. "That tickled. Maybe I should get rid of you first!"

But before he could touch Green Arrow, Cyborg punched him in the face. It wasn't as strong as Steel's punches, but it was enough to knock him down. Cyborg then transformed his right arm into a plasma cannon. Before Metallo could retaliate, Cyborg fired his plasma cannon right at Metallo's kryptonite core and blew it to atoms. "AAAAHHHHH!!" Metallo yelled as he felt his systems shut down and unable to move his body. A moment later, his green glowing eyes blacked out and he collapsed. Cyborg changed his plasma cannon back into his normal arm.

By the time that Cyborg helped Green Arrow back to his feet, Steel was up with them. Steel was stunned by Cyborg's new weapon. "What was that?" he asked. Cyborg smirked as he patted his arm. "Series 1 plasma cannon; another new upgrade provided by yours truly here." He motioned at Green Arrow, who smiled back. "Are you okay Steel?" Green Arrow asked. Steel nodded. "Yeah, the pain's gone now. Thanks." His teammates nodded appreciatively. They then turned their attention to the fallen Metallo.

"Damn, that guy was a nutcase with metal coating. How did he get like that?" Green Arrow asked. "I have a pretty good idea." Cyborg said confidently. Steel and Green Arrow turned to him. "What did you find out from your scan?" Steel asked. Cyborg shrugged. "Not much, but enough to get us on the right track of what's going on." "We'll take a look at your data back at the apartment." Green Arrow replied. "What about him?" Steel asked as he pointed at Metallo. "I'll have my people study him. I doubt he'll get away now that his power source is blown to bits."

They all smiled as Steel picked up Metallo's body and headed out with his teammates. On the way, Green Arrow patted Steel on the shoulder. "Not bad for your first day on the job, Steel. Not bad at all." Steel smiled back as they headed back to Metropolis. "His boss ain't going to be happy when he finds out about this." Cyborg said, laughing.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Next day, Luthorcorp CEO Office:

Lucas was indeed unhappy when he heard on the news that someone tried to rob from a Queen Industries warehouse in Star City, and was unsuccessful. He slammed his hands on the desk in fury. _'How could this have happened? How could anyone have stopped him?! This was not how it was planned…'_ While he was furiously thinking about Metallo's failure, he got a phone call. He picked up immediately. "What?!" he yelled. _"Is that anyway to speak to your master?"_ Lucas instantly stood frozen in fear. He did his best to calm down.

"I'm…I'm sorry! I didn't know it would be you!" The voice chuckled evilly. _"Just remember to control your temper next time you pick up one of these "phones". I don't usually tolerate disrespectful behavior from my servants, but you're special. So, I'll let you off with a simple warning this time. Don't let it happen again, Lucas."_ Lucas breathed easier after hearing that. "Thank you sir, I'll never lose my cool to you again." He said gratefully. _"It is in the past now. Now let us focus on the present, shall we?"_

Lucas nodded. "Why have you called sir?" Lucas asked politely. _"I heard about your little mishap last night. I wanted to know why your metallic servant failed to retrieve the remaining alloy we needed."_ Lucas shook with fear again. "I don't know sir; there were no details about the incident. But whoever stopped Metallo was obviously not someone to sneeze at." He said frustratingly. The evil voice on the phone sounded curious. _"Indeed; it seems we have a powerful enemy. We'll have to be more careful in the near future."_

"But what about the remaining alloy; we still don't have enough to continue with the plan?" Lucas asked desperately. The voice took a moment to answer. _"I'll have one of my followers take care of that. Just continue as planned. If there are any further incidents, I'll know."_ The voice then hung up. Lucas breathed hard. "There won't be any further failures…I'll make sure of that!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Clark was sitting at the kitchen table with Kara, Brian, and Chloe. While they finished their lunch, Clark talked about yesterday. The three of them were amazed by all the details, especially about Metallo. "I can't believe it; a cyborg powered by kryptonite. That is definitely a new one." Chloe said. Clark nodded. "It was definitely a nasty surprise. If it wasn't for Oliver and Victor, I would have been dead by now." Clark answered. "What did Victor find out from this Metallo guy?" Kara asked.

Clark straightened himself up. "We all saw what he found back at Oliver's apartment this morning before I came home. Apparently John Corben, who was Metallo's real name, was a common thief and con artist who accidentally got hit in a car accident about a week ago. He was barely alive when he was found be a scientist from guess where…?" "Luthorcorp," Chloe answered positively. Clark nodded. "Right; he was immediately taken to one of Luthorcorp's cybernetic labs. His body was too damaged to repair or place in cybernetic parts, so they removed is brain and placed it inside a robotic body powered by kryptonite."

"And then he was hired by Lucas to do some of his dirty work." Brian said. Clark nodded again. "Metallo was one of Lex's last experiments before searching for the means to control me. He was just put into storage until Lucas discovered him and activated him. Lucas offered to give Corben a new clone body exactly like the original if he stole some alloy for him." "What does Lucas want with this alloy?" Kara asked. Clark shrugged.

"We don't know; that's all we found out before Metallo ripped Victor's probes out of his head. I guess the only way to find out is watch Lucas very carefully." The others agreed completely. Kara was impressed by Clark being part of a super powered team. "It must be exciting! Working with people with their own unique powers, working together to stop evil and help others!" Clark smiled a little himself. "Do you think they'll let _me_ join?" Kara asked eagerly. At once, Clark became very firm.

"Absolutely not Kara; it isn't like a summer camp! Oliver and his team risk their lives when they need to and fight dangerous people. It is not a game; its serious business." "But Clark, I can do everything you can…plus fly." Kara replied with a smirk. Clark shook his head and sighed; it annoyed him for Kara to remind him every time that he can't fly while she can. "Having powers isn't enough; it's how you use them! I don't think you are ready for that kind of responsibility. Do you understand?" Kara wanted to protest further, but the look in Clark's eyes told her to stop.

"Yes, I understand Clark." Clark felt better to hear that. Just then, Clark turned to Brian. "Alright Brian, I think you kept us waiting long enough. Please tell us why you came here from the future." Brian looked around at everyone and they all waited to know his reason for being here. With a deep breath, he answered. "Okay, what I'm about to tell you will not be pleasant to hear. It will be horrible and unimaginable. Can you handle a truth like that?" Clark, Kara and Chloe looked at each other, and then they turned back to Brian and nodded.

Brian cleared his throat. "Well, on New Years Day, a horrible new evil will appear to take over Earth. This new evil will be stronger and more menacing than anyone you've ever faced, Clark. He will turn the Earth into a living inferno and take all its inhabitants as his slaves. When that happens, no one will be able to stop him…not even you." The three looked horrified about this revelation. "His dark will is so strong that everyone cowers at his name. I don't know how he plans to make all this happen, but it will happen unless something is done about it."

"So that's why you're here; to prevent this guy from taking over?" Chloe asked. Brian nodded grimly. "That's correct." "Is that also the reason for rescuing me from the Phantom Zone?" Kara asked. Brian hesitated a little, but answered. "I thought if I repaired everything that Brainiac and Lex have done, then maybe Clark will have a chance to stop him. That included freeing you Kara." Brian then saw that Kara looked a little hurt, and he knew what was wrong.

"Kara, I didn't just rescue you to increase Clark's chances of saving the planet…I also wanted you to be reunited with your cousin; your only living family member. I wanted to make you happy by bringing you back to him." He said softly. At this, Kara smiled and felt much happier. "That is so sweet of you. I appreciate that a lot." Brian looked away and blushed slightly again. Chloe cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "I got some happy news of my own if you guys are interested." "Sure Chloe; what is it?" Clark asked.

Chloe smiled wildly as she showed them the ring Jimmy gave her. Clark, Kara and Brian looked confused. "I know it isn't 24 carat gold with a shiny diamond, but it is my engagement ring." "_Engagement_? Are you saying that…?" Clark asked. Chloe nodded quickly. "I am; Jimmy and I are getting married!" "Congratulations Chloe!" Clark said as he hugged her. "That is amazing news; you and Jimmy would be happy together." Brian said. Kara hesitated a little, but she gave Chloe a hug to.

"I'm happy for you and Jimmy; really, I am. It's just that, I missed dating him; even if it was for a short time." Chloe nodded understandingly. "It's alright Kara; we've all moved on. Let's just be happy right now." As Chloe began to talk to Kara about what weddings are like on Earth, Brian asked Clark to talk to him in the living room. Once they were there, Brian told him to hold out his hand. "I have something else to give you, besides your cousin." He said with a smile. Clark smiled back as he held out his hand.

Brian took out from his right pants pocket a large star shaped blue crystal, and then put it in Clark's hand. "It's a rejuvenation crystal; a Kryptonian method of reconstructing destroyed or damaged buildings on Krypton. You can use this to rebuild the Fortress of Solitude; it has the original Fortress system codes and will restore everything to perfect working order." Clark was amazed. "How did you get this?" "It was an old Kryptonian relic that somehow survived Krypton's explosion that I found on another planet not too far from there. I verified it to make sure that it is compatible with your Fortress. It will work."

Clark smiled back at his new friend. "Thank you, you've done so much since you've arrived here. How can I repay you?" Brian shook his head. "Repaying me won't be necessary; all I want is for the Earth, and you, to have a brighter future." Clark nodded appreciatively. "All you have to do is touch one of the broken Fortress console crystals with this beauty, and it will do the rest." Brian said proudly. Clark understood. "I'll take it to the Arctic later today. Thanks again." Brian smiled back. "No problem." Before Brian went back into the kitchen, Clark grabbed his shoulder.

"Brian, you didn't mention something earlier." He said. "What was it I forgot to say?" Brian asked. Clark suddenly looked serious again. "This new evil you just told us about…what is his name?" Brian's smile faltered as he heard the question. He looked around to make sure the girls weren't listening, and then he leaned towards Clark's ear and whispered the villain's name and where he comes from. When Brian back off, Clark looked a little nervous. "Is he really that dangerous?" he asked. Brian nodded.

"With a name like that, you can bet he is that dangerous."

To be continued.


	6. Chapter 5 Return

Hey! I've decided to redo this chapter so that the conversation btw Clark and Jor-El would play full out. I'm sorry if any of you felt disappointed about that not happening the way you wanted. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 5- Return

The Arctic:

Clark had used Brian's crystal to restore the Fortress of Solitude to its former glory. He had done exactly as Brian instructed and was very pleased to see that he was right. As he stood within his Kryptonian sanctuary once more, Clark awaited the voice of his dead father, Jor-El. He didn't have to wait long for him to speak.

**"Kal-El, my son; I am pleased to see you are still alive after your ordeal with Lex Luthor. I feared you would be lost forever."** Clark did not respond, but stood there silently for a while. **"Kal-El, what is wrong? Why do you not speak?" **Clark answered his father's voice with hurt and anger. "Why Jor-El…why did you send that orb here to Earth? Why did you not tell me about it?! I thought you loved me; you said so yourself! How could you possibly think that I might become a threat to this planet?! ANSWER ME!!"

Jor-El did not answer right away. After a moment, he finally replied. **"I am sorry Kal-El; the orb was a mere precaution incase you turned away from the path I had set before you. I never wanted it to be used on you, but I also could not allow the human race to be extinguished by your hand." **Clark was still not satisfied. "So you're saying that you care more about the survival of Earth than your own son?! That's inexcusable!"

**"I did what I **_**believed**_** was right. I had no way of knowing if you would grow up to be the man I had hoped you would be. I had sent the orb to Earth to make sure that you would not become its destroyer." **"_Destroyer?!_ Is that what you were afraid I'd become? What kind of father would think his son would grow up to be a monster?" Clark yelled. Jor-El hesitated once more before replying. **"Please understand Kal-El; I did it for your own good."**

Clark stood quietly for a while to take in his father's words before speaking again. "You still did not tell me _why_ you never told me about the orb." **"I did not tell you because I feared you would have destroyed the only method to stop you if you ever went rogue."** "I would _never_ turn against the people I love, or destroyed Earth!" Clark retorted.

**"I have realized that now, my son. I should have feared less of your well being, and more for those who would misuse the orb's power against you…such as Lex Luthor."** "If you had told me of the orb a while ago, I would have kept Lex or anyone else from getting their hands on it." Clark stated. **"No you couldn't; the orb can only be held by human hands. If a Kryptonian tried to wield it, their hands would burn like the sun."**

"Nice precaution." Clark said sarcastically. **"I could not risk another rogue Kryptonian gain control of you; that was necessary."** Clark became quiet again to contemplate his father's revelations. He always disagreed with Jor-El with how he sees things and what should be done. Clark wanted to do things his way; the way everything works for him.

Ever since Clark met his biological father, he tried to run from who and what he was…and from his destiny. Even after learning that he was not sent to Earth to conquer it, Clark still rebelled against Jor-El because his methods were not acceptable to him. When Jor-El told Clark the only to stop Zod's return was to destroy his vessel, Lex, Clark couldn't do it…because he could not kill.

Thanks to Raya though, Clark seemed to understand his father a little more and decided to not run from him anymore. While Clark and his father still disagreed on some matters, there was one thing they did agree on; the protection and survival of Earth and its people. Upon understanding this, and summoning up his courage, Clark finally accepted his father's apology.

"I understand Jor-El. What's done is done; I am not angry at you anymore." Jor-El seemed glad to hear his son apologize. **"I am glad to hear that, my son. Your apology is accepted." **Clark smiled. **"I am curious about something Kal-El. How were you able to rebuild the Fortress? There is not any Kryptonian technology here that can restore it."** Clark continued to smile as he gave his answer.

"A good friend gave me some help." Jor-El was interested in Clark's vague statement. **"Who would this **_**friend**_** be?" **Jor-El asked. "Just someone I trust with my life." It was clear to Jor-El that his son would not divulge the identity of his friend, though he did not press the point. **"I see; I hope your trust in this friend has not been misplaced."** Clark shook his head. "I'm sure he's not an enemy; he's done so much to help that I could not think otherwise of him."

**"Then there is one other matter to discuss: your training."** Clark knew this was coming and had his answer to give. "You're right; I still have to finish what I started. However, I can't continue my training now; there is a huge threat I have to take care of; a threat only I can stop." At this statement, Jor-El became more serious. **"What is the nature of this threat Kal-El?"**

"A powerful new villain will soon take Earth as his own, and I have to be ready when he makes his move." **"I know you will know what to do when that time comes. I pray you will succeed Kal-El." **"So will I. I promise; I will return to complete my training after this threat is over. Goodbye for now, Jor-El." Clark said as he left the Fortress to return to Smallville. **"Goodbye my son…and good luck."**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Several months have passed since Brian's arrival, and a lot of things have changed.

Kara, who was happy to be home, returned to work at the Talon. She had gotten used to the busy hours and customers, with the guys often flirting with her. Kara just did her job and ignored them. Although, there was one guy she wouldn't mind spending some free time with as she thought about Brian. Speaking of him, things have gone well with him too.

Brian had moved in with Chloe and had been hired by her as a computer technician at the Isis Foundation. Chloe managed to come up with a false background for him, convincing all who read it would see him as Chloe's brother. Thanks to Brian, the Isis Foundation's hardware was better than ever. He updated all the software and made some adjustments to the hardware, which Chloe fully appreciated. When Chloe had introduced Brian to Jimmy, he was astounded. Jimmy couldn't believe that Chloe had a brother she never knew she had, and was happy that they found each other.

Jimmy and Brian got along pretty well, and Jimmy was glad that Brian was happy for his sister's engagement. Chloe and Jimmy began planning details for the wedding and it was as Chloe said "tiring but fun". After weeks of talking and planning, they had set the wedding day for January 5 at 6:00 PM. They had also asked Lois to be the Maid of Honor and Clark as the Best Man, who were both more than happy to do. They would have a small wedding, for family and close friends only in a small church in Smallville.

Lois had gained a strong reputation at the Daily Planet as a "promising young reporter", which new chief editor Perry White noticed when he saw all the stories she did while working for the Inquisitor, and later for the Daily Planet under Grant Gabriel. Lois got along well with him and promised that she won't disappoint him, which made him smile and said he'll look forward to reading more from her.

Lucas Luthor, on the other hand, was becoming increasingly frustrated. Despite the fact that Luthorcorp was running in tip top shape, his "real" plans were getting nowhere fast. After Metallo's failure, he tried to hire professional hardcore criminals to do his "errands". The problem was, they ended up like Metallo; failures. When Metallo screwed up, Lucas had secretly planted small cameras on his henchmen to see if whoever stopped Metallo would show up again. He was not pleased to learn it was a super powered team led by the infamous Green Arrow.

For months, Lucas was secretly at war with him. Green Arrow and his teammates were always successful at stopping Lucas from taking what wasn't his. Whenever he hired someone to steal for him, Green Arrow was there to beat them to a pulp. No matter what he tried or who he hired, Lucas couldn't win against the emerald archer and his associates. When he heard from his "boss" again on the phone, he felt tremendous fear when he heard how he was disappointed in his constant failures and always had to do the dirty work for him.

Lucas did tell him though the plan was not going as quickly as they hoped, that the subjects have been untouched and that they will be ready on time for the final phase. His unknown boss says he hopes so before hanging up. Lucas swore he would put an end to Green Arrow if it was the last thing he would do on this damn planet. He decided to fight fire with fire and would ask his boss for a personal favor when he called again.

It is now October, and another old face from the past is about to make a return to Smallville…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

Lois, Chloe, and Brian were having dinner in the upstairs apartment and were talking about the upcoming wedding. "This wedding is going to be great, I can feel it." Brian said while eating some mashed potatoes. "I hope so Brian; I still can't believe it's actually going to happen! What if something goes wrong btw now and Jan. 5?" Chloe asked fearfully. Lois patted her cousin's shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry cuz; nothing's going to happen. It will be a perfect little Smallville wedding. You and Jimmy are going to be happy together; don't let anything worry you, okay?"

Chloe smiled back from her encouragement. "Thanks Lois, I needed that." Just when they had finished, they heard the door being knocked. "I'll get it." Lois said as she got up and headed for the door. When she opened it, she saw the last person she ever expected to see. She could not conceal the shock that had spread across her face. "Oh my god…_Lucy?!_"

It was indeed Lucy Lane, Lois's younger sister. Tall, dark hair, bright eyes, and not exactly innocent, Lucy hugged her big sister and started crying hard. While Brian was pleasantly surprised, Chloe was completely thunderstruck to she her other cousin again. Lois hugged Lucy back and tried to tell her that it's okay. After a moment, Lucy had let go and tried to straighten herself. "Lois, I'm so… _so_ sorry for what I've done years ago. You don't hate me do you?" Lois then smiled.

"Lucy…how could I hate you? You're my sister! I might get angry at you or yell at you sometimes…but I'll _never_ hate you, got that?" Lucy sniffed and nodded back. "Could I come in?" Lucy asked. "Of course sis, get in here." Lucy smiled again after sitting down on the sofa. While Lois went to get something for her sister to drink, Lucy finally noticed Chloe and Brian. Lucy felt very nervous around her other cousin. "Hi Chloe, how are you?"

Despite Lucy falling in with bad people and conning and lying to her and Lois when she was last here, Chloe tried to be polite. "I'm fine; I'm getting married in a few months from now." Lucy was surprised. "Oh…uh, congratulations." "Is something wrong? I can see that both of you are tense toward one another." Brian pointed out. "Nothing's wrong; just a little bit of bad family history." Lucy replied. Brian frowned. "I know what that feels like…" he mumbled. Lois then came back and gave Lucy some coffee. "Here ya are Lucy; black with no sugar, just the way you like it." "Thanks Lo." Lucy said as she drank.

After her first sip, she asked Brian who he was. Chloe smiled. "Tell you what, why don't you two swap stories; Brian tells you about him, and you tell him about you?" Lucy liked the idea. "Okay, let's hear it." For the next hour Brian and Lucy introduced themselves to one another, both surprising each other with each fact. When they were done, Lucy was speechless. "I can't believe I have a cousin I never knew I had; it's amazing." Lucy said.

"It sure is; Lois and I were both shocked when we found out." Chloe said happily. "I can't believe a nice talented girl like you had stolen money and lied to your cousins on your last visit here. Why would you do things that hurt your family?" Brian asked. Lucy looked down and shook her head. "I had a rough childhood; I just met the wrong people and did all the wrong things, all because I didn't get the attention I wanted from my dad."

"Still, that doesn't mean you should turn to a life of crime. You should reconcile with your family and be happy again; that's what families should do." Brian said wisely. Lucy smiled and nodded. "You're definitely right; that is the right thing to do. In the morning, I plan to call dad and tell him I'm ready to make up for what I've done." Lois and Chloe hugged her. "I'm so proud of you Lucy, and I'm happy your back." Lois said softly. "I'm glad too." Chloe replied.

Brian smiled along with them. "So Lucy, is that why you came back to Smallville? You want to make things right with your family?" he asked. Lucy frowned. "Yeah, but that's not the only reason." The others looked confused. "Why else would you be here?" Lois asked. Lucy started to tremble. "Someone is after me; someone bad. I came here because I thought I could be safe. They followed me everywhere and I can't seem to get away from them." "Who's after you, and why?" Chloe asked out of concern.

Just then, the door was blasted open and several nasty looking men rushed in, holding what appeared to be high tech looking tazors. Brian and the girls were shocked by the unexpected visitors. "Finally Lucy…you have nowhere left to run. Come with us now and there won't be any messes." One of the men said. Lois stood up instantly. "Back off pal! I don't know who you guys are and I don't give a damn, but you are not going anywhere with my sister!" Lois exclaimed. "What do you want with Lucy?" Chloe demanded.

None of the men answered; they just fired their tazors at the girls and Brian. The men were surprised, however, to learn that their tazors didn't work on Brian; he was completely unaffected. "Why aren't you down on the floor kid?" Another of the men asked astonishingly. Before Brian could say anything, someone zoomed in the room and knocked out the whole gang in a matter of seconds. Brian was smiling; it was Clark in his "Steel" costume. "Are you okay Brian? Are the girls hurt?" Clark asked as he removed his shades.

"I'm fine, and I think the girls are too; they're just unconscious. How did you know about these men being here?" Brian asked. "I was coming here to ask Chloe if the wedding was still on track when I saw these guys walk in here with these strange weapons. Luckily, I was wearing my costume beneath my clothes and changed in an instant before rushing in and stopping them. How come you weren't affected like the girls were?" Clark asked.

Brian pointed at his pants belt. "Force field belt; never go anywhere without some sort of self protection." Brian said proudly. Clark smirked. "You are just full of surprises, aren't you?" he asked. Brian chuckled. "You could say that." As Clark went to pick up the girls, he was surprised to see Lucy with them. "What's Lucy doing here?" Brian shrugged. "She said she came to patch up things with Lois and Chloe, but she also came here to hide from someone. Apparently, these men were here for her on that someone's orders."

"Who exactly are they? Do they work for Lucas?" Clark asked as he turned around to look at the unconscious thugs. "I don't know who they might be; they weren't exactly in the mood to chat. I also don't know if Lucas had sent them; if he did, what he does he want with her?" Clark shook his head. "I don't know but we should get the girls to the farm. Hold on." Clark saw something as he picked up Lucy; a small chip located inside her jacket. "It's a tracker; that must be how they keep finding her." Brian said.

"Well, they won't find her anymore." Clark said as he crushed the device in his hand. He then turned back to Brian. "Come on; let's get them out of here before they wake up." Clark said while nodding at the thugs. "Right behind you Clark." Brian said as he picked up Chloe while Clark picked up both Lois and Lucy and they moved out immediately.

"After I drop off Lois and Lucy at the farm, I'll come back for you and Chloe." Brian shook his head and smiled. "That won't be necessary; I have my own method of moving in a hurry." To Clark's bewilderment, Brian instantly floated in the air. Clark couldn't believe it. "Are you…a Kryptonian?" Clark asked. Brian shook his head again.

"No; I'm human. I'm able to fly because of this." He then showed Clark a gold colored ring on his right ring finger. "A Flight Ring; another invention of mine. You can see what its purpose is." He said as he flew off with Chloe in his arms. Clark laughed to himself as he super sped right behind him; Brian was indeed full of surprises.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown location:

He was sitting and eating his fancy dinner when he got a call on his cell phone. "Did you get her?" he asked. "No sir; someone jumped us and she got away again." "Well then, find her again!" "That's another thing sir…we found the tracker in pieces on the floor." The big mysterious man slammed his fist on his table, shaking it slightly. "Damn it! How could you morons let this happen? Do you realize how important she is?!" The henchman on the phone responded nervously. "We'll find her boss; she won't escape us again."

"She better not!" He then hung up his cell. He folded his hands breathed slowly to calm himself down. _'I can't believe she gave me the slip again; Lucy is good. But in the end, she'll be right where we need to her to be.'_ Just then someone entered, and it was someone that the man knew. "Why, Mr. Luthor; I wasn't expecting you here. Come for a bite?" Lucas stood in front of him and shook his head.

"I'm not here for the meat; I came to see if your men have caught Ms. Lane yet." The man snorted. "She'll be in your grasp; it's only a matter of time until my men capture her." "That's not what I overheard just a moment ago, Mr. Mannheim." Mannheim widened his eyes and choked on the meat he was eating. "You heard?" "Every word Bruno; I'm not happy to hear she slipped through your grasp yet again. And I'm sure that _he_ wouldn't be happy either if he found out."

Mannheim got on his feet instantly. "Listen kid; I have everything under control, understand? Don't tell the big guy anything. Besides, you're just as scared of him as I am." Lucas grabbed Mannheim by the collar and sneered. "That is beside the point Bruno. If you don't bring in Lucy Lane, and soon, we'll both be cooked alive. He didn't supply you and your "Intergang" with advanced weapons just so you can mess it all up! Got it?"

Bruno snorted. "Got it. Now release me or I'll bite your nose off." Mannheim threatened. Lucas had let him go and was about to leave before he turned around and asked him one more question. "Say, Mr. Mannheim…what kind of meat is that anyway?" Mannheim just smiled. "Someone who failed to bring me Ms. Lane when we found her in Sweden." Lucas looked like he was going to puke. "You disgust me…literally." He then walked out.

As Bruno Mannheim continued to eat, he hoped that the plan would finish soon… so that he wouldn't worry about being someone else's meal.

To be continued.


	7. Chapter 6 Wild

Hey! Here is fun chapter I think you all would like! With no further delay, here is Chapter 6! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 6-Wild

The Kent Farm:

The next morning, Clark, Kara, Brian, Chloe and the Lane sisters were having breakfast and talked about last night. "I can't believe what happened; those guys sounded dangerous." Kara said as she heard the story. "No joke; they could've killed us if they wanted too. Good thing they just knocked us out." Chloe replied. "But why? What do they want with you Lucy?" Clark asked Lucy as he turned to her.

Lucy looked uncomfortable as she answered the question. "I don't know; I have no idea who they are or why they're after me. But I _do_ know who they are working for." "Who?" Brian asked. Lucy hesitated. "Someone named Mannheim." Lois and Chloe choked on their bacon when they heard that name. "_Mannheim_?" Chloe asked in disbelief. "As in Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim?!" Lois asked incredulously. Lucy slowly nodded.

"Who's Bruno Mannheim?" Kara asked. "He's only one of the most powerful and most dangerous gangsters in Metropolis." Lois answered. "Lois and I have read about him in previous Planet reports. He's in charge of a well organized crime organization called Intergang, and they always play nasty. Last time I checked though, they weren't using weapons remotely like the ones they used last night." Chloe replied seriously.

"Their weapons looked like they came from a cheesy, cheap sci-fi film but could probably have reduced us to skeletons if they wanted." Lois said. Clark nodded. "Sounds like they've stepped up a bit. If they are using that type of weaponry, Mannheim must want Lucy badly." Lucy shook a little. "I wish I knew what he wanted from me." Lucy said fearfully. "How long has Mannheim and Intergang been chasing you, sis?" Lois asked in concern.

Lucy took a moment to get her thoughts together and answered loud and clear. "They've been after me for weeks; they chased me all over Europe! I was just minding my own business in Berlin when those thugs came knocking down on my door and demanded that I'd go with them. I asked them who they were and what they wanted, but all they said was that their boss, Mannheim, wanted me. At that moment, I jumped out the window and began running for my life. But no matter where I went, they always managed to find me." Lucy explained.

"I tried to escape them by hiding back here in Smallville; the last place they'd look. But again, they caught up with me." Lucy stopped. When she didn't continue, Clark spoke. "Did any of them grabbed you during your escape attempts or at least touched you?" Lucy thought for a bit and nodded. "Yeah; one of them did managed to grab my jacket for a moment before my escape from Berlin, but I broke free and got away." Clark nodded again. "Then I know how they kept finding you: They planed a tracking device on you so that they always knew where you'd be."

Lucy and the other girls were stunned. "How did you know that, Clark?" Lucy asked. "When Brian and I found you, I saw something blinking inside you jacket. When I found out what it was, I smashed it. That's why no one came bursting in here last night; Intergang didn't know where you had gone." Lucy sighed in relief. "Thank you Clark, you too Brian." Clark and Brian nodded appreciatively.

"But what now; Mannheim isn't going to stop until he finds Lucy. She has to stay somewhere safe until this is all over." Kara said. Clark was about to suggest that they keep her here on the farm, but Lois answered first. "I'll give Oliver a call; he'll keep her safe." Lois said energetically. Lois just took out her cell phone when Clark argued. "Wait; why can't she stay here?" Clark asked. Lois gave him a look of annoyance.

"Listen Smallville, I know you are trying to help and I appreciate that, but I want her somewhere secure. Those Intergang creeps are carrying heavy firearms and I feel that she'll be safest with Oliver. I just know he can do it." Lois then walked into the living room while dialing Oliver's number. Clark felt sure why she insisted that Oliver would be the best person to keep her little sister out of harm's way.

Months ago, Lois and Oliver were attacked and briefly held captive by the vigilante known as Black Canary. When Clark and Chloe arrived, they found the apartment in a huge mess and both Oliver and Black Canary were gone. Clark and Chloe saw Oliver's Green Arrow gear in the back room, though Lois tried to hide it from them. Clark wasn't stupid; he knew that Lois had finally discovered that Oliver and Green Arrow were one person and she was trying to cover it up.

That was why she had been so upset when they talked later that night; she couldn't handle being part of a relationship with a man with a double life. Clark had made sure to not say anything indicating that he knew Oliver's secret too while comforting her. Clark guessed that Lois, knowing that Oliver was Green Arrow, knew that he would be able to protect Lucy from anyone. Lucy was being comforted while Lois was on the phone.

10 minutes later, Lois came back in with a smile. "Great news Lucy; an old boyfriend of mine has agreed to keep an eye on you until Mannheim gets off your back. Pack your things; I'm taking you to his apartment in a few minutes." Everyone was surprised, especially Lucy. "Really? You think I will be safe there?" Lucy asked. Lois nodded. "Absolutely, now go pack." Happy to go somewhere that Intergang cannot get to her, Lucy ran upstairs to get her things.

"Are you sure about this Lois?" Chloe asked. Lois nodded. "I know Oliver better than you guys; he won't let me down." _'I doubt you know him _better_.'_ Clark thought as he asked Lois a question. "Hey Lois, mind if I come with you and Lucy? I need to talk to Oliver about something…personal." Lois was puzzled about his statement, but shook her head. "Of course not; tag along if you like, Smallville." Lucy then came back down with her bag. "I'm ready, Lo."

Lois smiled. "Okay, let's go. Clark is coming with us by the way; doesn't think we big girls can handle ourselves before we get there." Lois said sarcastically. Clark rolled his eyes as he and the Lane siblings walked through the door. "Lois and I won't be gone long; you three hold down the fort 'till we get back." Clark told his cousin and friends as he closed the door behind him.

After they had left, Kara told Brian and Chloe she was going out. "Why? Clark told us to wait here." Brian said. Kara shook her head. "I won't be gone long; I just got my paycheck cashed yesterday and I plan to buy a certain pendent that I had my eye on for a while. I hope its still there." Kara stated. "Alright, don't cause any mischief on the way." Chloe teased. Kara laughed back as she walked out the door.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Jewelry store in Smallville:

Kara was looking around a small jewelry shop to see if that pendent she wanted had not been bought yet. After a minute or two of looking, she finally found it. It had a big heart shaped red stone on it, attached to a silver colored chain. The manager walked in to assist Kara. "Hello miss, can I help you with anything?" Kara nodded.

"Yes; I'd like to buy that heart pendent please." Kara answered while pointing at the shiny trinket in the glass case in front of her. The manager smiled. "I see you have an eye for jewelry, ma'am. That is a fine piece of craftsmanship and it would look lovely on a cute girl like you." He said smoothly. Kara smiled embarrassingly. "That beauty costs 60." Kara opened her purse and paid him in the exact amount.

"Thank you for the pendent." Kara said as she took the box that contained it. "You're welcome. Come again soon." The manager said as Kara walked out. Feeling excited, she decided to put on the pendent to see how it would look on her. When she placed it around her neck, however, the heart shaped stone had glowed red…along with Kara's eyes for a brief moment.

Suddenly feeling like a free girl, Kara looked into a window and admired the pendent. "It is _perfect_; I can't wait to show this to Brian." Kara suddenly thought of how else to impress the boy from the future. "Maybe I can do more than just show off my new pendent…I think I'll give Brian a night he will _never_ forget!" Kara said as she smiled wildly as walked into another nearby shop.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

Clark, Lois, and Lucy had just arrived at Oliver's apartment, with the billionaire waiting by the elevator. "Hey guys; nice for you to drop by." Oliver said smoothly. Lois smiled. "Oliver, thanks for agreeing to take in Lucy for a while; I felt that she couldn't be safer with anyone else with you." She said while winking at him. Oliver then walked up to Lucy to introduce himself.

"Hi Lucy; I'm Oliver Queen, CEO of Queen Industries and gorgeous playboy." Oliver said jokingly. Lucy laughed. "Wow, it's an honor to meet you Mr. Queen." Lucy said. Oliver shook his head. "Just call me Oliver; that's what your sister calls me when we dated." They all laughed. "Anyway, you can stay in a bedroom here that is under surveillance…minus the bathroom of course." He added as he saw Lucy's face.

"Don't worry; I won't see anything that shouldn't be seen, okay?" Lucy nodded. "Thank you." Lucy said. "Your welcome; your room is on the floor below mine, and if you need anything just call my number." Clark then walked up. "Hey Oliver, can I talk to you privately?" Oliver was a little surprised but agreed. "Sure; Lois, why don't you take your sister to her room while Clark and I talk?" Lois nodded as she and Lucy went down the elevator to the new bedroom.

Once they were alone, Oliver talked more seriously. "So Clark, what's this about? If it's about Mannheim, don't worry; if he or his thugs have the guts to break into my apartment, I'll kick their asses." Clark smirked. "I'm glad to hear that, but that's not it." "Then what is it?" Oliver asked. Clark took a real deep breath and exhaled. "Does the term "VERITAS" mean anything to you?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Kent Farm:

It has been over an hour since Kara had left to buy that pendent, and she was not back yet. "Maybe one of us should call her; Kara wouldn't be gone this long without telling us?" Brian said worryingly. "Kara is a big Kryptonian girl; she can handle herself in a fight. Still, it shouldn't take this long just to find a pendent." Chloe stated. "Maybe she is at Oliver's apartment." Brian guessed.

"Someone over there would have called us if she did. Maybe I should call Clark and tell him that Kara is…" "Right here," Kara said as she walked in from the kitchen door. Chloe and Brian turned around to see her, glad to hear that she was back and was okay. However, when they saw her, they were in complete shock. Kara bought more than just a pendent…she bought a whole new look!

Kara was wearing top to bottom in black leather; a black leather jacket to cover a sleeveless red top, leather women boots, while covering her face with dark eye shadow and dark red lipstick. She was also chewing gum. To top it all off, she had her hair frizzled out; it was no longer straight and wavy. Chloe thought Kara looked like Sandy from _Grease_. "Well, what do you think?" Kara said playfully.

Both Chloe and Brian were speechless, to say the least. "Kara?! What the hell happened to you?!" Chloe asked in surprise. Kara just smiled. "I thought I'd get a new look to go with my new pendent." Kara stated as she showed her heart pendent to them. Kara then turned to Brian. "You like what you see Brian?" Kara asked seductively. Brian was having trouble speaking in light of Kara's appearance.

"Well…it's uh…new to me." Brian said nervously. Kara continued to smile as stepped slowly towards him. "Don't be so shy; you don't have to be that way around me." Kara replied as she stroked Brian's hair. "Kara, I thought you went just to get a pendent? Why change your whole appearance?" Brian asked in a shaking voice. Kara laughed softly. "Simple; we're going out tonight and I want to look good for you."

Brian and Chloe were shocked even more. "Going out…as in a…_date_?" Brian asked. Kara nodded. "You got it, big boy. What do you say?" Kara asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Chloe decided to get in between them. "Alright Kara, what's really going on? This isn't you; you're acting…wild." Chloe demanded. Kara turned to her. "I just want to have some fun with him tonight, that's all. Can't a girl have a little fun with her man?" Kara asked annoyingly.

Chloe was about to retort when she got another look at the pendent Kara was wearing, and that's when it hit her. As her eyes widened, Chloe knew now why Kara was acting this way and wanted it to stop. "Listen Kara, you have to take off that pendent; its making you do things you wouldn't normally do." She instructed. Kara clutched her pendent and looked insulted. "No way; I love this pendent. Try to take it and you _will_ be sorry." Kara threatened.

Poor Brian didn't understand what was going on at all, but he also didn't want Kara to hurt anyone. That's when he made up his mind. "Forget it Chloe; Kara's made up her mind…and so have I. I'm going out with her tonight." He said seriously. Both girls turned back towards Brian in surprise. While Kara seemed happy that Brian finally decided to go with her, Chloe was thunderstruck. "Brian, are you nuts? You can't…" but Brian had cut her off.

"I'll be okay; just tell Clark that Kara and I are dating tonight. We'll be back around 10 or 11, alright?" He asked Kara as he turned to her. Kara looked like she was on Cloud 9. "Anything for you Brian," Kara replied as she walked towards the door. "We're going to a movie, then the Ace of Clubs for some dancing…and maybe a little more if we're lucky." Kara said as she waited. Brian was starting to sweat from both nervousness and panic.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Chloe asked Brian as he headed out the door with Kara. "I'm sure; just talk to Clark. We'll be alright. Let's go Kara." Kara and Brian then closed the door behind them, leaving Chloe feeling extremely concerned. Without hesitation, she got out her phone and was about to call Clark when it rang; it was Jimmy. "Oh Jimmy; this is the one time I _didn't_ want you to call." Chloe said frustratingly before she picked up.

To be continued.


	8. Chapter 7 Date

I'm back with another fun chapter. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 7- Date

Oliver's Apartment:

Oliver just stood there in complete shock and disbelief. Clark had told him everything he learned about VERITAS, including how and why Oliver's parents really died. Clark even told him that he, Clark Kent, was the Traveler that the Queens and the rest of VERITAS had been waiting for and swore to protect and that Lionel killed almost everyone to have Clark all to himself. For a long moment, Oliver didn't know how to react to this revelation.

"Why the _hell_ didn't you tell me when you first found out?!" Oliver shouted at Clark, shaking in anger. "My hands were full; I couldn't find the time to give you a call." Clark hesitated a bit before continuing. "Besides, if I had told you, you would have gone after Lionel in a heartbeat. I couldn't let you do that." Oliver's anger continued to build. "You're damn right I would have gone after Lionel! He killed my parents!! I had a chance to avenge them and because of you, Lex took that chance away from me!! Don't you think I wanted to make Lionel pay for their deaths?!"

Clark felt terrible to see his friend in so much pain, but he had to get through to him…to make him understand. "I didn't know your parents, but I know that they wouldn't want you desiring vengeance…even for their sake. You're a good person, Oliver; revenge would turn you upside down. I almost went down that road myself a few years ago.

"I wanted to kill Lionel because I thought he killed my dad, but Lionel convinced me that my dad would not me to take another's life…and he was right. I'm not a killer…and neither are you. That was the main reason why I didn't tell you before; I didn't want you to go down that path." Oliver was near tears as he heard his Clark's speech.

"I loved my parents, Clark…and they loved me. I was devastated to hear of the plane crash that killed them. But somehow, I managed to move on. I wanted to honor them by running Queen Industries the best I can. I guess you're right, though; revenge doesn't work for me." Oliver said while showing a small smile. Clark patted his back to comfort him.

"That's good to hear." Clark replied kindly. Oliver was silent again for a while. "This orb that Lex tried to use on you, it was really made by your birth father?" Oliver asked. Clark nodded slowly. "It was VERITAS' biggest secret; it was a means to control me if I turn out to be a threat to Earth. Lex found out about that secret and went after it to get answers about me."

"And that orb is why he killed Patricia too?" Oliver asked sadly Clark nodded again. "I heard that Lex was her killer, courtesy of Lois and Jimmy." "What about the death of Jason's dad, Edward Teague? He was the last survivor of VERITAS, wasn't he?" Oliver inquired. "That was neither Lex nor Lionel's handiwork. Edward was killed by a Kryptonian artificial intelligence called the Brain Interactive Construct…Brainiac for short."

"_Brainiac_? Why would a computer from your planet want to kill him?" Oliver asked. "He wanted to use the orb to control me, but instead he let Lex do his work for him; turned out Brainiac couldn't touch the orb himself." Clark answered. Oliver shook his head. "I can't believe my parents, Patricia, her dad, and all the other members were killed because of you." Clark felt uncomfortable about that response.

"They were killed by power hungry psychopaths, not me. Besides, Jason and his mother died during the second meteor shower…which was a natural disaster." Clark did not want to mention to Oliver that he unintentionally started that meteor shower by not recovering the three Kryptonian stones before one of them got stained with human blood.

"Yeah, you're right. I miss Patricia and Jason; we were good friends as kids. Lex was alright…before he became a murderous bastard." Oliver smirked a little. Clark chuckled. "So, are you going to be alright?" Clark asked. Oliver nodded. "Yeah, I think so. I never would have believed that I was carrying on the legacy of VERITAS since I met you- by watching your back and helping you when you needed me." They both smiled at the thought.

"Your parents would be proud of you, Oliver." Clark stated. Oliver nodded again. "I know." Oliver replied. Before they both could say another word, Clark's cell phone rang. "It's Chloe, excuse me." Oliver nodded as Clark picked up. "Hello?" Chloe was frantic. "Clark, thank goodness you picked up. We've got a big problem!" Chloe said loudly.

"Calm down, Chloe. What's going on?" Clark asked. "It's Kara; she and Brian are out on a date and…" "What? Brian and Kara are _dating_? Since when?" Clark said in a stunned voice. "That's not it…Kara's not herself." Chloe replied worryingly. Clark started to feel nervous. "What do you mean?" "Listen, right after you guys left to drop off Lucy, Kara went out and bought a pendent with a heart shaped stone on it…a _red_ heart shaped stone!" Chloe said in panic.

Clark suddenly understood, and he started to panic himself. "Don't tell me." "I'm afraid so; Kara has just gotten her first dose of Red Kryptonite!" Clark was really worried now. "Oh no; this is bad! Didn't you or Brian try to get it off her?" Clark asked. "We couldn't; Kara threatened to make me "sorry" if I tried to take it. Brian took her out on a date to keep her from attacking me; I don't think he knows about that type of kryptonite."

"When did they leave?" "A while ago." Chloe said. Clark widened his eyes with shock. "Chloe, why didn't you call me right away?" He asked incredulously. "I'm sorry; I was about too, but Jimmy called and I couldn't ignore him or let him think something was wrong. I had to make sure he didn't suspect anything was bothering me. I called you the instant he hung up." Chloe replied apologetically.

Clark shook his head in frustration. "Chloe, if Kara is anything like me when I was affected…" "I know; things could get out of hand in a hurry! You have to find them before Kara does something stupid!" "I will; do you know where they went?" Clark asked. "Kara said they were going to see a movie, and then dance later at the Ace of Clubs." Clark nodded. "Thanks for telling me Chloe. I'll find them right away. Stay there until I get back with them."

"Got it, thanks Clark." Chloe then hung up. "Is your cousin on drugs?" Oliver asked as Clark turned around. "Well, kind of. I have to find Kara and set her straight before she does something she will regret." "Will you need help?" Oliver asked. Clark shook his head. "No, I can handle this. You just make sure that nothing happens to Lucy." Oliver nodded once more. "Alright, good luck." "Thanks." Clark said as he super sped away.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ace of Clubs:

Brian and Kara had just arrived. The Ace of Clubs was full. People were talking, drinking and dancing. "That was a great movie, wasn't it Brian?" Kara asked as they went in to find a table. "Yeah; I thought _Iron Man_ had a good theme to it. I like the idea of someone who originally built weapons learned from his mistakes and decided to take a better approach in life."

Kara wrapped her arm around him. "I especially liked the part where Stark and that reporter got all crazy in bed." Kara whispered into his ear. Brian shivered. "Maybe we could play that part for real tonight…after we dance here." Kara suggested. Brian started to sweat again. "Kara, aren't you taking things a little too fast?" Kara laughed. "You are still too cautious; you need to loosen up, and have a blast! Come on, there's room on the dance floor!"

Kara then dragged Brian out onto the dance floor, where a lot of young couples are getting their groove on. Brian was still unsure of how Kara got this way, but he couldn't risk upsetting her incase it meant ending up in the hospital. Kara was waiting for Brian to dance with her. "What's the hold up, handsome? Why aren't you dancing?" Brian took a moment to answer. "I…uh, don't know how."

Kara stared back at him with surprise. "You don't know how to _dance_? You really do need to get out more! Look it's easy, just follow the beat of the music, and let it flow through you. Feel the music, your body will do the rest." Brian looked around to see how the other couples were dancing with the beat of the soft rock music. He started to move himself like everyone else, and he was slowly getting the hang of it. "That's it! Go a little faster now!" Kara said.

Brian then understood what Kara was telling him and was starting to enjoy it. "Hey, this isn't so bad! It's actually…fun!" Kara smiled back. "That's more like it! You're in the zone now!" Brian and Kara were dancing like it was the last night on Earth. They twirled, twisted, and turned with the music. Just when Brian couldn't keep up with the rhythm anymore, the music became softer and slower.

Everyone started to slow dance. Brian got all nervous again. "I suppose you want to…?" "I thought you'd never ask." Kara said happily as she wrapped her arms around Brian's neck, while Brian slowly placed his hands on Kara's waist and began to slow dance with the other couples. Brian was more nervous than ever; he had _never_ imagined he'd be dancing this way with Kara. And yet, he liked it very much. Kara thought the same thing as she moved with him.

"Brian?" "Yes?" He asked. "Are you happy being with me today?" Kara asked with hope. Brian pondered a moment as he stared into her pretty eyes. "Actually, yes I am. I never thought I would be having this much fun. I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I'm glad you brought me out here." Kara smiled gleefully. "I knew you would." Kara replied as she leaned her head on Brian's shoulder, which he didn't mind at all.

Unfortunately, some unwelcome visitors arrived a few minutes later; the Intergang thugs that tried to nab Lucy last night. "Maybe she's hiding here; it's a good place to not stand out." The head thug said as he looked around sharply. Suddenly, he spotted Brian and Kara on the dance floor. "I don't believe it; guys, over there! It's that guy that was with Lucy last night!" The others soon spotted them. "Well, it's our lucky day; maybe he knows where Lucy is!"

Not knowing that Intergang was closing in on them, Kara lifted her head to face Brian again. "Hey Brian, I want you to know something." She said softly. "What is it, Kara?" Brian asked still nervously. Kara's lips were just a few inches from his. "I love you; more than I've ever loved anyone. Do you feel the same…about me?" Kara asked seductively in a whisper. Brian was sweating even more now. "Well, I…"

Before he could answer, he and Kara heard gun shots coming from a few feet away. They turned around to see Intergang with their guns firing at the ceiling. "Alright everyone, clear out now! We have some personal business to take care of here, and we want some privacy…so get lost!" Everyone got out immediately. "Except for you two!" The head thug said as he pointed at Brian and Kara. They remained while the others were clearing out.

Brian recognized them immediately. "I don't believe it. Kara, that's Intergang; the men that are after Lucy." Brian said seriously. "I see." Kara said, unsurprisingly upset that her perfect evening was ruined. "Hey kid; we have some unfinished business with you. Tell us where Lucy Lane is, and you and your girlfriend won't get your heads blown off!" One of the men demanded. "I'll never tell you!" Brian retorted.

"That's telling them, baby." Kara said proudly. "Fine; maybe turning blonde here into Swiss cheese might change your mind." The Intergang leader said as he pointed his rifle at Kara. Kara was pissed. "Brian, get back; these block heads ruined our date and I'm going to make ragdolls out of them." Kara then grabbed the nearest rifle and bent it into a pretzel.

The Intergang men were shocked by her strength, and Brian felt a little sorry for them. _'They are in for it now. I just hope Kara won't go too far.'_ Kara then picked up one Intergang member by the collar and threw him all the way into the bar, crashing into all the glasses and wine bottles there. While still shocked, the rest of them fired their unusual looking rifles at Kara, but they did no damage whatsoever.

Kara then super slapped one of the men at a nearby table, while she used her heat vision to light another one's shoes on fire. He was hopping like mad until Kara threw him into a nearby water fountain, where his flaming shoes cooled down. She finished off the other three by picking up a large table and threw it at them, knocking them all hard on the floor. Kara had taken down the whole gang and left the place in a mess.

Brian was surprised at her ferocity; he hoped he'd never make her that angry at him. After brushing off her hands, Kara walked back to Brian while smiling triumphantly. "Now then, where were we?" Kara said as she wrapped her arms around Brian once more and looked into his eyes. "You still haven't answered my last question before we were _rudely_ interrupted." Brian was still unsure about what to say. And he didn't have to, for another person had interrupted them.

"Kara, Brian!" They both turned around again, and this time it was Clark. "What happened here?" Clark said as he observed the damage. "Intergang came here and tried to get me to tell them where Lucy was, but as for what happened after that…you might want to ask Kara." Clark then turned to his cousin, whose appearance left him stunned. "Kara, why are you dressed like that?" Kara sighed, annoyed that her romantic moment got interrupted again.

"I did it for Brian; I was having fun with him until these assholes showed up, and then _you_. So, I taught them a lesson." "By throwing them all over the place?! Kara, you shouldn't have used your powers so openly!" "There was no one else here! Besides, I don't think anyone in jail would believe them." Clark shook his head. "It was still a reckless thing to do…but I can't _entirely_ blame you, since you aren't yourself."

Clark then spotted the heart pendent around her neck. "I want you to take off that pendent, right now." Kara looked surprised again. "Chloe told you about that, huh? Sorry cousin, but I'm not in the mood." Kara responded with a flash of warning in her eyes. "You don't understand; that pendent has Red Kryptonite on it, it causes you to lose control over your emotions and act erratic. You have to get it off now." Clark instructed.

"Come and get it, if you can." Kara challenged. Clark sighed and thought about how best to get it off, but Brian came up with an idea. "Clark, before this goes any further I want to answer a question Kara asked me a few minutes ago." Brian said while giving him a quick wink. Clark, though confused, understood and backed off. Kara turned back to Brian, with a look of great anticipation.

"You finally have your answer?" Kara asked. Brian nodded. "Yes I do. Kara…I love you." Both Kryptonians were surprised to hear that. Clark's eyes widened and was speechless, while Kara squealed and hugged Brian tightly (though not too tight so that he would snap like a twig). "You really mean it Brian?" Kara asked in a high voice. Brian just smiled. "I sure do." If hearing Brian say that he loves his cousin wasn't shocking enough, Clark saw the last thing he expected Brian to do: He kissed Kara.

Kara responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him back, with Kara's back to Clark. Clark's jaw almost reached the floor from the scene. He got his act together when he saw Brian point to the chain around Kara's neck. Clark got it now: Brian was distracting Kara by kissing her so that Clark could get the pendent off without getting into a fight with her. Clark then focused his heat vision on the chain and melted it apart. The pendent then fell to the floor.

The moment it did, Kara felt like her old self again. Brian and Kara then stopped kissing when she realized what she had done the past several hours; she felt horrorstruck. "Are you okay now, Kara?" Clark asked. Kara turned to him and slowly nodded. "I think so; thanks for getting the pendent off." Clark nodded and smiled. As Kara looked at herself in a mirror that she found on the floor, she felt petrified.

"I can't believe I did this to myself! What was I thinking?!" Brian smiled. "You weren't thinking like yourself, that was all. I'm glad to have the real Kara back." Kara smiled. "I'm glad to be back too." Just then, they heard police sirens outside. "Come on, let's get out of here." Clark said as the trio made it out before the police broke in.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

"Sounds like you two had quite a time today." Chloe said to Brian and Kara. "It was a…interesting experience." Brian replied. "I've learned my lesson for today: Never buy anymore red jewelry." Kara said which resulted in a laugh from Chloe. "I'm off to bed. Don't stay up too late you two, goodnight." "Goodnight," they both said as Chloe went into her room, which was across from where Lois was sleeping.

Brian and Kara sat for a few moments in silence, until Kara got up. "Well, I better get back home. I don't Clark to worry about me again." Kara said as she headed for the door. Suddenly, Brian got up too. "Wait Kara, don't go just yet." Kara turned around, surprised. "What is it?" Brian shifted a little. "Um, I have a confession to make." "What would that be?" Kara asked curiously.

Brian felt very nervous from what he was about to say. "First, I want to know…when you said you loved me, did you mean it?" Caught off guard by the question, Kara took a moment to respond. "Well, I may have been under the influence of Red Kryptonite, but everything I felt during that time was real. So, yeah I meant it." She paused for a moment. Brian felt like a tremendous weight just dropped into his stomach.

"I had a crush on you since the moment I saw you, when you came to rescue me. I was just too afraid that you might not feel the same way." Brian nodded. "I understand that." There was another pause before Kara broke it. "So, what's your confession?" Kara asked. Brian steadied himself. "When I told you I loved you as well…I also meant my words."

Kara's mouth fell open. "You did? But, I thought that was just an act to get the pendent off?" Kara asked in confusion. Brian nodded. "The intent was to get the Red Kryptonite off of you, but I wasn't lying about how I felt about you. Also, I enjoyed kissing you." Brian added while blushing. Kara couldn't believe what she had just heard. After it finally sunk in, she smiled.

"How long have you felt this way about me?" Brian scratched the back of his head. "I guess when I first saw a picture of you in my data tapes back in my time, a while back before I came here. I felt like a nerd who has been dreaming of dating the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. I never dreamed I'd actually get to meet you, let alone date you." Kara walked back to Brian and hugged him, and while Brian hugged her back.

When they broke apart, Kara continued to smile; she had never felt so happy in her whole life, not even while she was dating Jimmy. "So, does this mean we are going steady?" Kara asked. However, Brian backed off. "Kara, it can never work between us." Kara's smile went upside down, along with her feelings. "What do you mean, Brian?" Brian frowned too as he told her his reason.

"I came here from the future, remember; that is my home. Your home is here, in the 21st century. If Clark succeeds and stops the new evil that's coming, my mission will be complete. I'll be returning to the 31st century…where I belong." Kara shook her head. "You don't have to go back; you can stay here, with me! I want us to be together Brian! Please, reconsider!" Kara insisted. Brian turned his back to her and shook his head.

"It is as it must be. Also, I can't ask you to leave your time for me; that would be incredibly selfish of me to do so. Don't you see Kara? No matter how we feel about each other, we can't be together…it would be wrong." Brian said no more after that. Kara then walked up to Brian, grabbed him, and made him turn to face her. Kara had a hard look on her face.

"Let me ask you something." Kara said harshly. Brian looked afraid. "Ask me what?" Kara then kissed him more passionately than she did the first time. Brian was caught off guard as he endured the unexpected kiss. When Kara broke it, she still maintained that hard face. "Did that feel _wrong_ to you?" Brian, still stunned by the lip lock, took a while to get his head working again. Finally, he smiled as he figured out his answer.

"No…it didn't." Kara then broke out another smile. "Then why all the fuss?" Brian laughed a bit. "I guess I just wanted what was best for you." Kara shook her head. "You sound like Clark. But Brian, you've been thinking only of the best for others since you came along. Tell me: What do you think is best for _you_?" She asked. Brian pondered on that question for a while longer. Finally, he shrugged.

"I don't know." Kara shook her head again. "Look, let's not worry about that for the moment. Let's just worry about the here and now. And right now…I want you to kiss me back." Brian smiled too as he kissed Kara once more, also a lot more passionately than before.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

He had just finished modifying his secret weapon; the weapon that will give him the revenge he desired. As he looked at his weapon in the darkness, he smiled maliciously. "Yes, at long last…it is ready. This form will suit my plan perfectly. It is now time to seek you out, and finally fulfill my destiny. This time, you will not be able to stop me…Kal-El.

To be continued.


	9. Chapter 8 Link

Hey people! Here is Chapter 8! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 8- Link

Daily Planet:

Lois was typing her latest story on her desktop computer with enthusiasm. She knew that this story would make the front page; she could feel it. When she was about to hit "print", she heard a welcoming voice. "Working on your next story, Lois?" Clark said as he walked in through the door. Lois looked up and smirked. "Not working on, Smallville…done. I've just finished my story on the Ace of Clubs incident last night. This will be a hit, I know it!" Lois said excitedly.

Clark began to feel nervous; he knew what had happened there. "What do you know about it?" Clark asked in dread. "When I saw a bunch of people running from that joint screaming about guys with guns, I knew I had to check it out. By the time I got there though, the police were there and they caught the men that caused all the trouble. The club was also a huge mess! Do you know what surprised me most?"

"What was it?" Clark asked more calmly; he was relieved that she didn't know who actually made that mess. "Those men were from Intergang; the same bastards that tried to take Lucy and zapped me, Chloe, and almost Brian the other night!" Clark nodded. "Yeah, that's what Brian told me when they came in while he and Kara were there." Lois widened her eyes. "Brian and Kara were there too?! Why?" Clark shrugged. "Believe it or not, they were on a date."

Lois was surprised even more. "Your cousin and my cousin…_were dating?_ You got to be kidding me!" She exclaimed. "I'm sure it was a one time thing." Lois moved back to the incident. "Did either of them see who turned the club into a near wreck? The police said that when they arrived, they found all the Intergang men unconscious and badly beaten up. Who did all that?" Lois asked.

Clark swallowed before he answered. "Brian and Kara didn't see anything; they were knocked out when all that happened. Next thing I knew, both of them ended up at the Talon, thankfully okay." Lois sighed. "Well, whoever it was…I should give him a medal for kicking their asses." Clark laughed. After Lois had started printing her story, she relaxed. "Enough about me, what brings you down here?"

Clark smiled. "I just want you to meet your new partner." Lois looked confused. "Partner? What are you talking about?" Clark then showed her his press tag. "I'm now working here as an intern; I'll be sitting right across from you." Lois' mouth fell open. "You got a job here at the Daily Planet? That's great! When did you apply?" "This morning; I filled out an application, showed it Mr. White, and…here I am." Clark smiled as he sat behind his new desk.

"I have you to thank Lois." Clark said. "What did I do?" "Remember when you offered me an application to work here and telling me I should do more than farm work? Well, you were right; I've decided to take the next step. Besides, now that Lex is no longer in charge I would feel more comfortable here." Clark finished with a warm smile. Lois smiled back. "I'm proud of you Clark. Welcome to the Daily Planet!" "Thanks Lois." As Lois got up to send her report to Perry upstairs, Clark began to do his paperwork…looking forward to getting his first story.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

Later that day, a tall man stood outside a cabin in a forest outside Smallville, overlooking the scenery. He was smiling as he thought of how magnificent Earth will be once he takes over. "Enjoying the countryside, old friend?" said a smooth voice right behind the other man. He turned around and felt surprised, though he did not show it. "I see you have survived Krypton's destruction as well…Brainiac."

Brainiac smiled coldly at his associate. "Same to you. I was programmed to survive at all costs; no matter how fatal, remember? Though, I almost didn't make it this time. You can thank Kal-El for that." He said hatefully. The man narrowed his eyes. "So, the son of Jor-El still lives." "Unfortunately; that boy can be as humans say, "a pain in the ass." The man chuckled. "Tell me, what have you been up to on this _primitive_ planet?" The man asked.

Brainiac smiled as he answered. "My first objective after arriving on this mud ball was to resurrect General Zod. I originally planned for Kal-El to be Zod's vessel and rule over Earth." "I take it you didn't succeed?" Brainiac sneered. "No; I underestimated his devotion to protect humans. He's just like his father; always putting his life on the line for others. He tried to destroy me when he discovered my plan, but thankfully I lived to try "Plan B."

"You made a human into a vessel for Zod?" Brainiac nodded as he observed the clouds without interest. "Correct; I had chosen an ambitious human named Lex Luthor. It took a little time to gather all the ingredients I needed, and a little force, but my plan had worked; Zod had returned. I couldn't have done it without Kal-El though; I tricked him into stabbing me, insuring that Zod would return from the Phantom Zone. My programming was severely damaged in the process though; I had to hide for a while until I could find a way to repair myself."

The man nodded. "Where is Zod now?" He asked. "Trapped in the Phantom Zone once more, because of Kal-El." Brainiac said distastefully. "He ruined everything I worked so hard to achieve, and I was badly damaged. Thankfully, I found a reliable source and got myself fully functional again." "What did you do when you were repaired?" Brainiac smiled.

"If I couldn't resurrect Zod, I could at least get rid of Kal-El. I found a way to travel back in time to before Krypton exploded and planned to kill him when he was still a harmless infant. But alas, that plan ran afoul too because of him…" "How did you get to Krypton's past?" The mysterious man asked. "I used Kara; she had what I needed to get there." The man narrowed his eyes. "What happened to her?" Brainiac smiled. "I trapped her in the Phantom Zone and posed as her so that Kal-El would bring me back here for me to do "Plan C."

The man flinched as heard that. "I see, and what was your next plan?" He asked calmly. "I learned of a device here that could control Kal-El, so I searched for it. I found it in Lex's mansion, but I discovered that I couldn't touch it. So, I had Lex do all the work for me. Some time later, Kal-El caught up with me and electrocuted me at a power plant. A small incident left me drained earlier, so I went there to recharge. Kal-El thought he was rid of me for good…but he was wrong yet again." Brainiac smiled even more.

"How did you survive this time?" The man inquired further. "Before I went back in time, I downloaded a piece of my programming to a large computer. It took some time, but I've finally pulled myself back together again late last night." The man nodded again. "How did you find me here Brainiac?" "I used large binoculars." Be said jokingly. The man did not laugh. Brainiac gave him his real answer a second later.

"I was flying in search of Kal-El when I spotted you down here, observing nature's wonders." "Is Kara to be trapped in the Phantom Zone forever?" The man asked without concern. Brainiac shrugged. "I only put her there as punishment for alerting her cousin of my plan to kill his baby counterpart. If you want her released, I _could_ make that happen." Brainiac then changed the subject. "Tell me, how did _you_ survive Krypton's destruction?"

The man smirked. "I got lucky." "What plans have you made here on Earth?" Brainiac questioned his associate. "When I saw that the human race still existed, I knew that something had gone wrong, and I blame Kal-El for that. So, for these last several months, I've been working on a plan to rid me of him permanently." Brainiac smiled. "Well, it seems we both have been busy boys. It would be fun to watch Kal-El being controlled, but killing him will still be satisfying. What exactly is your…?"

Before Brainiac could finish his question, he felt something in his computer brain…something he never felt before. "Is something wrong?" The mysterious man asked. Brainiac placed a hand on his forehead and looked surprised. "It's nothing. It seems there is a matter I need to investigate. Are you ready to go after Kal-El?" The man nodded. "I've finished my special surprise for Kal-El last night. We can go kill him together."

Brainiac shook his head. "You go on ahead; I will meet up with you later. Just let me be the one to finish him. Will you keep him alive until I arrive?" "Of course; after all, we both have a score to settle with Kal-El." Brainiac smiled evilly. "I'll join the party soon…Zor-El." Brainiac said as he flew off into the sky. Zor-El, with his special weapon in his hand, flew off in the opposite direction…looking forward to settling the score with his nephew.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Lone Pine:

Brian and Kara were on a huge tree branch, which was strong enough to hold both of them. They both flew there a little while ago to spend some free time together. They looked up at the many clouds and tried to guess the shapes, with Kara getting many of them right. "That big one to the left looks like a dog." Kara guessed. "Really? I thought it was a bear?" Brian replied.

"Look closer, you'll see." Brian took a moment and recognized the shape. He smiled. "You're right Kara; it is a dog. That's another one you got." "Who's counting?" They both laughed happily. When they stopped, they stared into each other's eyes. "I'm glad we came here. I enjoy this "cloud shape guessing" game. But it's more fun with you." Kara blushed from Brian's comment. "Same with you." They leaned in to kiss when they heard an unpleasant voice below them.

"I think I'm going to puke." Brian and Kara looked down to see, to their immense shock, Brainiac. "These romantic moments always make me queasy." Brainiac said annoyingly. Kara jumped down to the ground and stared at her enemy. "It can't be; Clark destroyed you!" Kara said hatefully. "And I thought you were still stuck in the Phantom Zone! Guess we're both disappointed." Brainiac said as he and Kara stared at each other.

"How did you survive?" Kara asked. "I don't want to go into all the details, but let's just say it's a good thing I always have a back up plan." "It's not good for me." Kara retorted. Brainiac smirked. "I must say, you El Kryptonians are like bad pennies; you keep turning up when you least expect them." Kara had heard enough from the evil machine. "What do you want with me now Brainiac?"

Brainiac shrugged. "This time, nothing." He then took out a hand sized piece of Green Kryptonite, and it began to hurt Kara. Kara collapsed from the pain as Brainiac stepped closer. "Kara!" Brian yelled as he watched the whole scene. "I originally planned to use this on your bothersome cousin, but it'll work fine for you. And you know what; I think I know the best way to eliminate him…by using his own cousin to do the dirty work."

When Brainiac was close enough, he stretched out his free hand and his fingers turned into long, silver colored coils. Those coils were moving straight toward Kara's head. Kara was so weak, she could not fight back. A few seconds later, the probes had pierced Kara's head and Brainiac began to do his work. But before he could do anything, he felt a strong shock on his back; he was screaming in pain.

The probes then detached themselves from Kara and returned as normal fingers. Brainiac flew to the ground several feet from Kara, and hit the ground with a thud. When he got up, he saw Brian approaching Kara and throwing away the kryptonite. Brian stared back at Brainiac with pure hate. "Don't you dare hurt her!" Brian yelled.

Brainiac sneered. "I don't know how you shocked me like that, but it'll take more than…" Brainiac had paused and felt that same feeling again when he was with Zor-El, only stronger. And strangely, Brian felt the same pain at the same time. The moment it stopped, Brainiac looked at Brian again with astonishment. "It's you!" Brian stared at him questioningly. "What are you talking about?" He asked, still angry for what nearly happened to Kara.

"A little while ago, I felt a strange signal coming from this location. And just know, that same signal appeared again, but much stronger this time. It came from you. I saw you grabbed your head the instant I grabbed mine. You felt it too, didn't you?" Brian said nothing, but continued to stare at Brainiac. Brainiac seemed fascinated as he smiled at Brian. "It seems that, somehow, you and I share a link of some kind. How are you connected to me, boy?" Brian snarled.

"Believe me, I wish I wasn't!" He replied bitterly. Brainiac shook his head. "No matter; I know how to get answers from people who won't cooperate." Brainiac then tried to use his probes again…only they didn't appear. "What?" Brainiac said as he tried again, and failed again. Brian grinned at the scene. Brainiac started to feel angry now as he stared back at Brian. "What did you do to me?!"

Brian laughed before he answered. "When I placed my hand on your back, which caused that "shock" of yours, I hacked into your system core and completely disabled all of your offensive capabilities...including your synthetic Kryptonian powers. To put it simply, I rendered you powerless." Brian said proudly. Brainiac was shocked by Brian's answer; the last time he was this shocked, it was when he was drained after his attack on Chloe.

"How could you have hacked into my systems just by touching me? Who the hell are you?!" He didn't get a chance to hear any answers, for Kara had blasted him with her heat vision and knocked him down again. Kara looked extremely pissed off. "That was for trapping me in the Phantom Zone!" Brainiac was bleeding black liquid from his chest and looked up in pain.

Kara then stepped on top of him, slamming her foot down on him. "AHHH!" Brainiac yelled. Kara then lit up her eyes again for one more blast. "And this…is for Krypton!" She fired a stronger blast at Brainiac, which caused him to scream painfully loud. A moment later, Brainiac exploded into atoms. Kara breathed hard. "Are you alright, Kara?" Brian asked as he put a hand on her shoulder.

Kara gave a brief nod. "I'm fine, but we have to find Clark now. We have to help him!" Brian raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why?" Kara had a look that told Brian that she was serious. "Clark's in danger…from my father."

To be continued.


	10. Chapter 9 Killer

Hey everyone! Here is the next chapter…which will answer a few questions! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 9- Killer

Daily Planet:

It was time for Clark to head home after his first day on the job. He felt like he belonged there; like it was where he was meant to be. As Clark was about to head out, Chloe walked in. "Hey Clark; Lois called and told me that you're working here now. I was thrilled to hear that!" Clark smiled. "Thanks Chloe; don't forget, it was you who got me interested in journalism in the first place." Chloe chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. But tell me, I know that you dropped out of college a few years ago…how did you get the internship here if you're a drop out?" "I owed him a favor, Miss Sullivan." Clark and Chloe turned around to see the new Editor-in-Chief himself, Perry White. "Hello, long time no see." Perry said as he shook Chloe's hand. "Hi Mr. White, it's nice to see you again. What did you mean you owed Clark "a favor"?"

Perry smiled. "Several years ago, on the day that the sun had those solar flares, I pulled a ridiculous stunt to prove that Clark had super powers and ended up putting my life in danger. Even though he didn't have any powers whatsoever, Clark dived down and he and his friend, Pete, pulled me back up. Clark could've killed himself trying to save me, and yet he helped me anyway. I wanted to pay him back for that, so when he came here to apply for that internship…I called in a few friends to help me give Clark the job, despite him not being in college. Plus, I know he has potential in journalism. I want to see how he does here."

Chloe was amazed and held back a laugh; she knew that Clark had powers. "I have to tell Lois that story. By the way, what happened to Pauline Kahn? She was the previous Editor-in-Chief, wasn't she?" Chloe asked. "She retired a while ago, and requested that I'd take her place; I didn't mind in the slightest. So, here I am." "Also, with Lex gone, who's the new CEO of this place?" Chloe further inquired.

"Well, after Lex fell into his coma, a good friend of mine named Franklin Stern bought the Daily Planet and became the new CEO. He's a great guy. Actually, it was him that Pauline asked to have me fill her spot…and he was one of those friends that had a hand in getting Clark to work here. Like I said, I have friends." Chloe and Clark were very interested to hear all that.

"Wow, that's great. Well, I have to go now; I just wanted to thank your new intern for getting the job." Chloe smirked as she walked out. "Later Clark." "See ya, Chloe." Clark said. Clark then turned back to Perry. "So, you like how Lois is doing?" Perry nodded. "Sure do; she's got a big career ahead of her in this business. I think she'll go far…and maybe one day you'll catch up with her." They both laughed. Just then, Jimmy walked in.

"Hey Chief, I got some great photos I want to show you; I think you'll love 'em!" Perry sighed softly. "First, don't call me that. Second, I'll take a look at those photos in a second, Olsen." Jimmy smiled. "I'll be waiting in your office sir." Jimmy replied as he headed upstairs. Perry shook his head. "Nice kid, but he needs to stop calling me names like that." Clark shrugged. "I don't know…it kind of suits you, sir." He said as he smiled.

"Great Caesar's Ghost; you too Kent?!" Perry said as he threw his arms in the air. "Well, anyway keep up the good work and I'll see you tomorrow." "See you, Mr. White." Clark then walked out with a big smile on his face; he _definitely_ belonged there.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Clark had just gotten home and went inside. He found a note on the kitchen table; it was from Kara. _"Hey Clark. Brian and I went out for a bit; no, not on a date! Just hanging out. Trust me; I have no Red Kryptonite on me this time. We'll be back soon. Kara."_ Clark smiled and shook his head. He noticed that Kara and Brian have been spending time together lately. He wondered if Kara and Brian really were in love…but he dismissed the idea quickly.

He knew that it could never work out btw them; they were both from different times, after all. To pass the time, he walked to the barn to take some hay to the horses at the stable. When he stepped inside, however, he discovered he was not alone. "You must be Kal-El; you definitely resemble your father when he was your age." Clark looked up at the loft and froze in shock…it was Zor-El.

"Zor-El?!" Clark asked in disbelief. His uncle nodded as he slowly walked down the stairs. "In the flesh, nephew." Clark could not believe another enemy from his past had returned. "Are you another replicate, like the one in that crystal the real Zor-El gave Kara?" Zor-El shook his head. "No; I am _not_ a replicate…I'm the "real" Zor-El." He said as he stepped off the stairs.

Clark was not convinced. "You can't be Zor-El; he died when Krypton exploded." His uncle smiled. "I almost did, Kal-El. I was injured badly as I watched your cousin fly off in her ship. Right afterward, I used my one last hope for survival…a portal to limbo. Jor-El had the Kryptonian Council destroy all the portals on the planet earlier, but they never knew about the one I used.

"I used the crystal console nearest to me to open that portal and jumped through just before Krypton was destroyed. I was trapped btw time and space, and the energies there kept me alive…but I was still suffering from my wound." "How did you get here if you were trapped in limbo?" Clark asked, still not believing he was talking to the real Zor-El.

"Simple; I saw a rip close to my position and saw you flash through it. That rip was still open, so I went through it, hoping it would let me out of that prison. To my complete shock, I ended up here on Earth, where I was meant to be." Clark was in more shock than ever; Zor-El had escaped to Earth when Clark traveled to Krypton's past to stop Brainiac from killing his infant self and save Kara.

"The instant I arrived, the planet's yellow sun healed me and gave me the same powers you have, my nephew. However, I soon saw that the humans were still alive. That meant only one thing…Kara had failed to carry out the plan I laid out for her. I believe _you_ had a hand in that." Clark did nothing. "Your replicate tried to kill the human race…Kara and I both stopped it!" Zor-El shook his head in disappointment.

"That's very unfortunate; I had high hopes for Kara. I thought she would fulfill her destiny and make Earth a new Kryptonian paradise." "Kara is _not_ like you, Zor-El! She cares about the people here, just like I do!" Clark retorted. "You rubbed off on her too much, Kal-El." Zor-El said spitefully. Clark then realized something else. "You've been on Earth for months, haven't you?" Clark asked. "I have indeed." Zor-El answered.

"Then why did you wait so long to come after me?" Zor-El smiled. "I was busy; I found a lonesome cabin not far from where I had appeared. I spent my solitude there and began working on the means of getting my revenge on you…and finally taking what should be mine." Clark did not like the sound of that. "What are you up too Zor-El?" "I thought you'd never ask, nephew."

Zor-El then took out a small metal box from his pocket. "Try to see what's inside." He said. Clark didn't want to take orders, but he looked anyway. To his surprise, his x-ray vision couldn't see through it. Zor-El continued to smile. "You can't see through the material, can you?" Clark stared back at his uncle, refusing to answer. "This box is made of what humans call "lead"; I picked up one on one of my earlier trips here. I discovered that it shields me from the radiation of those green glowing rocks that I encountered as I explored near the cabin."

Clark didn't like where this was going. "I made a lead suit to protect myself until my special surprise for you was ready. When I was finished, I placed it in this box, which protects me from its effects." "It contains green kryptonite, doesn't it? If you open it, you will be affected just like I will be." Clark said. Zor-El shook his head once more. "It contains a piece of our home world, yes…but it's not _green_. As for it affecting me…I won't be close enough to it when it is opened."

"What do you mean?" Clark asked, starting to feel nervous. Zor-El then threw the box at Clark, who allowed it to land at his feet. "_You_ will open it." Clark didn't move. "What is inside?" He demanded. Zor-El continued to smile. "That box holds a piece of what you might call "Gold Kryptonite". It will take away your powers upon exposure…permanently." Clark stared at the box with horror; a piece of kryptonite that can rid him of his powers forever?! "I spent my time shaping the gold rock into the symbol of our house; I thought it would be ironic that the powerful symbol of our house would ultimately be your downfall."

"What in the world makes you think I will open this and lose my powers willingly?!" Clark asked incredulously. "Open it and I will give my word that I will leave the humans alone, but under my rule. If you don't, I will burn your precious home to the ground!" Zor-El replied. Clark shook his head. "I'll fight you then!" Clark retorted. "Many innocent lives will be caught in the crossfire, won't they? I will make certain that you and I struggle where humans occupy. Do you really want that? The choice is yours Kal-El." Zor-El said as he crossed his arms, waiting.

Clark was in a bind; lose his powers and let Zor-El win, or oppose him and allow everyone else to suffer his uncle's wrath? He didn't want to lose his powers, but he also didn't want to risk anyone's lives; he couldn't live with the guilt if he did. Just when Clark was about to reach for the box, he heard another voice. "Don't listen to him Kal-El!" Clark and Zor-El turned around to see the Martian Manhunter himself: John Jones.

Zor-El scowled at the sight of him. "Well, if it isn't my brother's Martian body guard. I didn't expect to see you here on this primitive mudball, John Jones." John frowned. "Nor did I expect you to survive Krypton's destruction. You will not force Kal-El to give up his powers." Zor-El stared back hatefully. "I don't take orders from you, Manhunter." He then punched John through the other side of the barn wall.

John landed in the middle of the field, but got back up in time to block another punch from Zor-El and punched him back. Zor-El crashed on the other end of the field. He wiped some blood from his mouth as he got up. "Even with my powers from Earth's yellow sun, you still hit hard John." John flew straight at Zor-El, but Zor-El flew up to avoid the attack.

"Fortunately, I know what hurts you!" Zor-El said as he fired his heat vision all across the field surrounding John, setting the whole place ablaze. The fire rose quickly, which caused John to collapse in pain. Zor-El smiled as he flew back down to the ground outside the fire, watching John suffer. "That's for forcing me out of Argo City!" Zor-El yelled in triumph. Just then, Clark ran in and was about to use his super breath when Zor-El zoomed in front of him.

"I don't think so." He grabs Clark and punches him, which sends him flying and land on the driveway near the house. As Clark was about to get back up, Zor-El held him in place. He once again held the small box that contained the gold kryptonite. "Open this right now Kal-El or all you care about is lost!" "You'll lose your powers too since you're this close!" Clark reasoned. "If I have to lose my powers to get you to relinquish your own, so be it!"

Zor-El forced the box into Clark's hands and was going to make him open it, but someone knocked him off and sent him soaring several yards away. Clark looked up and saw with relief that it was Kara, with Brian right behind her. "Are you alright, Clark?" She asked as she held out her hand. Clark, accepting it (and dropping the box), got up. "Yeah, but John is in trouble." Clark pointed to the flames that surrounded the Martian Manhunter.

"I'll handle my father, you and Brian save the Martian." She said as flew towards her father without hesitation. Clark and Brian flew back to the flames. "Stand back Brian." Clark said as he drew in a deep breath and unleashed his super breath to extinguish the flames. The fire was gone in an instant, and both Clark and Brian helped John back to his feet. "Are you alright?" Clark asked. "I will be, thank you both." John said weakly.

"Brian, you stay here with John, I'll go help Kara." Clark instructed. John shook his head. "No Kal-El; I'm fine now." John said as he got back up with renewed energy. Clark and Brian were amazed that John could recover so quickly. "We all must help Kara." John suggested. "What do you think Clark?" Brian asked. Clark thought for only a second before he answered. "Alright, let's go."

While Clark and Brian went to help John, Kara headed straight for her father. Zor-El was shocked to see his daughter again as she approached him. "Kara, I thought you were trapped in the Phantom Zone! I am so glad to see you again, my angel…" Kara grabbed her father by the neck, hard. She looked into his eyes with hate she never felt before. "Don't you DARE call me that! I'm no longer your daughter!!" Kara then threw him back into the barn where he landed hard.

Before Zor-El could get back on his feet, Kara flew in and threw him into the ground, causing a small tremor. "Kara, what are you doing?" Zor-El asked in shock. "Giving you what you deserve!!" Kara then began punching him mercilessly. Each blow caused a tremor that shook all of Smallville, though not enough to cause any actual damage. Kara was unrelenting in her assault. She kept on attacking him without stopping. Zor-El was bleeding from Kara's constant blows; he could not fight back. Kara was about to punch him once more when Clark grabbed her wrist.

"Stop it, Kara! He's had enough!" Clark said as he looked into the bleeding face of his uncle. "No Clark, let me go! He deserves it!" Kara stared back at Clark with a look that shocked him. "He's right Kara; your father is finished. I will take it from here." John said as he and Brian appeared in the barn beside Clark and Kara. "No, he deserves to die!" Clark was shaken by the rage coming from his cousin.

"Kara, we all know your father has done a lot of harm, but killing him won't make things any better." Clark reasoned. Kara shook her head. "You don't understand. His sins go a lot deeper than you know." Kara said as her voice shook with anger. Clark, John, and Brian looked confused. "What are you getting at, Kara?" Clark asked. The answer she gave was something Clark never expected to hear.

"Clark…MY FATHER DESTROYED KRYPTON!!" Everyone in the barn was in a state of shock, especially Clark. "What?" Clark gasped in shock. Kara nodded. "You heard me…this _man_ I used to call "father" blew up our home planet!!" Clark didn't know what to say. "But how?" Brian asked. Kara answered without any trouble. "My father was in charge of the mining operations on Krypton's capital city, Kandor.

"He used the equipment there to drill into Krypton's core with Brainiac's help and caused it to ignite and rip the planet to pieces!" Kara exclaimed. Kara then turned to John. "If you don't believe me, read his mind! He can't hide anything from you!" Kara demanded. John reluctantly nodded as he turned to Zor-El and probed his mind. It took only a few seconds. When he was finished, he was definitely shaken. He then turned to Clark.

"She's right, Kal-El; Zor-El _is_ responsible for Krypton's destruction." He said solemnly. Clark felt completely confused. "But, I don't understand…I thought Zod destroyed Krypton? He didn't deny it when I confronted him about it." Clark questioned. "Zod only wanted to _rule_ Krypton; he never intended on destroying it. You were right about something, though; Zod and my father _were_ working together during the war.

"My father gave Zod information that would help him gain the upper hand, including where to send his forces to attack! Of course, Zod didn't know what my father was really planning. My guess, in his arrogance, he took all the credit for destroying Krypton when he fought you." Kara replied with hatefulness in her voice. Clark was devastated; he couldn't believe that his home planet was destroyed by someone from his own family.

"How do you know all this?" John asked, surprised by the amount of information Kara knows. "My father wasn't the only one to have "survived". Brainiac returned and came after me and Brian earlier…" "I destroyed Brainiac!" Clark stated. Kara shook her head again. "He downloaded a part of himself into a computer some time ago and reformed himself last night. He used some kryptonite to weaken me and tried to get control of me, like he did to Lana and Chloe.

"Thankfully, Brian found a way to get him off of me in time and I finished him. But when Brainiac's attempt to control me failed, he accidentally unlocked a suppressed memory in my mind. It showed me my father telling me of his plan to destroy Krypton and making Earth a new paradise, and that he wanted me to be a part of it." Kara then turned to Clark. "I ran from him and informed your mother about what he was doing; she said she would inform Jor-El at once.

When my father had caught up with me, we had a brief struggle before I accidentally knocked him into the crystal communication console, severely wounding him. I was upset for what I had done. He pretended to comfort me so that he could use his El crystal to wipe my memory of the whole thing! Next thing I knew, my father gave me that blue crystal, got me into my ship, and sent me to Earth." Kara stopped for breath before continuing.

"That wasn't all I learned from Brainiac's assault. I also saw a memory of him talking to my father here on Earth. They were talking about killing you, Clark! Brainiac had gone after me and Brian while my father went after you with a way to kill you. That's how I knew that he was here; I knew he'd be waiting for you to arrive to use his "weapon", whatever it might be." Kara finished. Clark was starting to feel very angry himself as he turned to Zor-El.

"Why Zor-El…why would you destroy your own planet?!" Clark asked furiously. Zor-El answered with pride in his voice. "I did it because Krypton's destruction was foretold, Kal-El. The ancient Scrolls of Rao showed the signs of the end of our world…all of which had come to pass. Then, a man would rise from the ashes on Earth and become a god among men. It was my destiny to fulfill that prophecy and become that "god"."

Zor-el sounded insane to Clark and everyone else as he continued. "My original plan was to leave Krypton with Kara before it was destroyed. But because of the injury I sustained, I could not make the journey…that's where my crystal came in. It was made as a back up incase I could not escape Krypton myself. However, to make sure that my plan did succeed, I used that portal to escape the destruction and waited for an opportunity to come to Earth. Like I said earlier…I was disappointed that the plan failed."

Kara grabbed her father's throat and silenced him. "Shut up! We've all heard enough from you!" To Kara's surprise, Clark grabbed her hand again. "This is not the answer, Kara." Kara looked dumbfounded at her cousin. "How can you say that, Clark?! You heard what I said, what _he_ said…Zor-El is a killer and he must pay! It's because of him that we are the only Kryptonians left!" " I know; I'm just as angry as you are. But you can't allow yourself to be filled with hate and revenge."

"But…" Kara was about to argue further when Brian placed a hand on her shoulder. "Clark's right; your own anger will destroy you. If you do this, you'll be no better than your father. You're better than him…now show us." Brian said softly but firmly. Kara looked from Brian to Clark and to her father. She was trying to decide what to do. Half of Kara wanted to kill her father for his sins, but the other half wanted to do what was right.

After a moment that seemed to last an hour, Kara had let go of her father and breathed heavily. "You're right; I'm not my father. I won't kill him." All three of them smiled at her for making the right choice, even Zor-El was. "I knew you couldn't kill your own father, child." "Enough from you!" John said as he used his mind power to silent Zor-El.

"I won't kill him, but he should still be punished!" Kara stated as she got up on her feet. Clark nodded. "I agree…and I think I know the best punishment for him." He super sped outside for a second and returned instantly with the small box. He gave it to Kara. "What's in here?" Kara asked. "Your father said it holds Gold Kryptonite. It can take away our powers permanently. Why don't we let _that_ be his punishment?" Clark asked.

Kara thought about it and smiled. "I like that. Would you like to do the honors?" Kara asked John as she handed the box to him. "Certainly." John replied with a smile. Clark and Kara stood back far enough to avoid the kryptonite's radiation, while Brian stood with John. When he opened the box, a bright golden glow came from it, and it caused Zor-El's eyes to glow golden and to feel extreme pain. A moment later, Zor-El fell unconscious and drooled. The gold kryptonite had stopped glowing, having done its job on the closest Kryptonian.

Before John closed the box, Brian got a look at the kryptonite; it was indeed the shape of the House of El. When the box was closed, Clark and Kara walked back up to them. When Zor-El woke up a moment later, he seemed frightened. "Who are you all? Where I am? _Who_ am I?" Everyone was confused. "Zor-El doesn't remember any of us?" Clark asked. "I thought the gold kryptonite was to permanently take away our powers, not to cause amnesia?" Kara questioned.

John then read Zor-El's mind again for answers, and was again surprised. "It seems that the gold kryptonite did more damage than even Zor-El himself realized. It caused severe and permanent damage to his brain's memory cells…he has no recollection of his past whatsoever." "So he not only lost his powers permanently, but also lost his memory permanently as well." Brian summarized. "Precisely, Brian." John said as he nodded.

Zor-El seemed rattled. "What do you mean I lost my memory permanently? What is going on?!" John used his mind powers to render him unconscious before picking him up. "What will we do with him?" Clark asked. "I'll take him to a place where he will be taken care of. Since he no longer remembers who he is or what he has done, he isn't a threat anymore." Clark, Brian, and even Kara agreed. "Take him somewhere I'll never have to see him again." Kara said scornfully. "I understand." John said as he flew off with the amnesiac Zor-El.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent House:

"I'm really proud of you, Kara. You did the right thing in sparing your father's life." Clark said as he and Kara drank some hot chocolate that evening; Brian had returned to the Talon earlier. Kara shook her head slightly. "It wasn't easy; I never wanted to kill anyone before today. Brainiac was no problem for me; he was just a machine that went bad. My father, on the other hand, was a real person. I wasn't sure back then if I could handle the desire to kill and _not_ do it."

Clark nodded. "I understand. Trust me; you're not the first person I had this conversation with." They were both silent for a while before Clark spoke again. "Thank you Kara." He said softly. Kara looked at him questioningly. "For what? Sparing my monster father's life?" Clark shook his head. "No, I meant thank you for saving my life." Kara smiled. "No problem; I couldn't let my father force you to give up your powers."

Clark laughed this time. "Kara, I'm talking about when you told my mother about Zor-El destroying Krypton. My mother passed your warning to Jor-El and that led them to putting me in my ship and sending me to Earth before Krypton was destroyed. It's because of you that I am here in the first place. I would be dead along with my parents if it weren't for you. So, thank you."

Kara smiled more from his appreciation. "You're welcome, cousin." She said as she took another sip from her mug. Another moment of silence had gone by. Clark was about to talk to her again, but he saw that Kara was looking worried. "Kara, what's wrong?" Kara looked at Clark with apprehension. "Clark, something else happened with Brainiac I think you should know about." Clark looked curious. "What else did he try to do?"

Kara shook her head. "It's not what he did…it's what happened btw him _and_ Brian." Clark's eyes widened in surprise. "Brian? What are you talking about?" Kara took a deep breath and exhaled. "Remember me saying that Brian somehow got Brainiac to let go of me?" Clark nodded slowly. "Well, the truth is…he shocked Brainiac by putting one of his hands on his back. It caused him to release me and sent him several yards away."

Clark was surprised once again. "You're kidding!" Kara shook her head. "No, and it gets weirder. While I was recovering from both the kryptonite and Brainiac's attack, I saw both of them getting huge headaches at the very same time; I saw them holding their heads in pain." Clark was getting more and more confused by the second as Kara went on.

"Right after the headaches had ended Brainiac said something I didn't understand. He said that he felt a strange signal that drew him to where me and Brian were, and that the signal came back but stronger just then. He then said that…that the signal came from Brian!" Kara said in bewilderment. Clark was really in the dark now. "Brainiac felt a signal…from _Brian_?" Clark said in complete confusion.

Kara nodded. "Yeah, and Brainiac said that since Brian felt pain the same time he did, that Brian must have felt it too. He went to say that he and Brian had some sort of link; maybe a mental link or something, I don't know. When Brainiac asked how they two of them were connected, Brian replied with "Believe me, I wish I wasn't!" He didn't seem scared or confused when he said that…he sounded completely hateful about it, like he hated that he and Brainiac shared a link."

Clark still can't understand where Kara was going with this as he listened. "When Brainiac tried to penetrate Brian's mind like he did to me, he discovered that he couldn't do it. Brian laughed and said that he hacked into Brainiac's systems when he touched him, and said he shutdown all of Brainiac's powers! That's how I was able to destroy Brainiac so easily…because Brian made him vulnerable."

Clark's mouth fell open from that latest fact. "Brian had shut down Brainiac's powers?! How could he do that?" Clark asked in amazement. Kara shrugged. "I have no idea; all I was focused on was finding you before my father could get to you." Kara then leaned her head towards Clark. "Clark, do you think that…that Brian really does have some kind of connection with Brainiac?" Kara asked in fear.

Clark didn't like the thought as he looked at the fear in Kara's eyes. The idea that one of their closest friends could be in league with one of their most dangerous enemies was very disturbing. At that moment, Clark got up. "What are you doing?" Kara asked. Clark got out his cell phone and dialed a number. "I'm calling Brian to meet me in the barn. I think it's time we found out who he _really_ is."

To be continued.


	11. Chapter 10 Relations

Hey! Here is what you have been waiting for…some more answers! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 10: Relations

Kent Farm; Barn Loft:

Brian walked into the barn 10 minutes after he got Clark's call on the cell phone Chloe got him. He was feeling curious; he wondered what Clark wanted to talk to him about. He then walked up the stairs to the loft and found Clark leaning beside the window, arms crossed. Brian smiled politely. "Hey Clark, I got here as soon as I got your call. Is anything wrong?" Clark didn't move, but frowned.

"I don't know; that's what I need to find out." He replied mysteriously. Brian raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? What was so important that it couldn't wait until morning?" Brian inquired. Clark stepped a little closer to Brian to study his reactions. "Before I say anything, I want you to promise to tell me _nothing_ but the truth. Can you do that?" Clark asked. Brian, still unsure what this was about, nodded. "Alright; you have my word."

Clark stood silent for a moment before he started. "Kara told me what happened between you and Brainiac earlier." Brian flinched for a moment before he grinned and chuckled. "Of course she did; we all heard what happened right here in this barn. Brainiac attacked Kara and I saved her." Clark shook his head, still frowning. "That's not what I meant." Brian stopped laughing and started to feel nervous. "Then what were you referring?" He asked.

Clark stepped right in front of Brian now, looking down at him with a questioning look. "You and Brainiac suffered headaches at the same time; Brainiac said that he felt a strong signal from you and that the two of you have a connection of some sort. To top it all off, you hacked into Brianiac's systems and disabled all his powers…with just a touch of your hand. Kara saw and heard the whole thing. Care to explain all that?"

Brian was starting to sweat. "She…she did?" Brian said, barely above a whisper. Clark nodded. "She may have been weakened, but she wasn't blind or deaf." Brian stepped back a few steps; he looked scared. "Brian, I have the feeling that you haven't been _completely_ honest with me or Kara since you arrived here. I think you've kept something from us, and I want to know what it is." Clark stated. Brian looked unsure of what to say.

"You've promised you would tell me the truth; I don't want you to go back on your word." Brian tried to stall. "Why isn't Kara here?" "I told her I would talk with you privately, just to be sure that you are still on our side." Brian widened his eyes slightly. "_Still on your side?_ Clark, I have _always_ been on your side! I have never done anything to hurt or betray you, Kara, or anyone else!" Clark nodded.

"Then prove it. Tell me…are you connected to Brainiac in any way?" Clark interrogated. Brian looked away and shut his eyes tightly. "Alright, but you must promise _me_ something. Promise that you won't tell Kara or anybody else what I'm about to say." He replied heavily. Clark thought for a bit. He didn't want to hide anything from Kara, but he also wanted the truth from Brian. Maybe Kara will understand…if Brian's not a threat that is.

"Fine, I promise to keep this conversation btw us." Clark said honestly. Brian stared back at Clark. He had never felt so apprehensive before. He took a real deep breath, and talked. "Okay, here goes." He hesitated, trying to find the best place to start. Clark waited expectantly. "You are right; I have been hiding something from you and Kara…something big." Clark raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" Brian started to shake, but not from fear…he shook with anger.

"Brainiac and I _are_ connected, and I hate it! I've hated it all my life!" Brian said, almost shouting. Clark narrowed his eyes. "How are the two of you connected? Why do you hate it so much?" Clark continued to question him. "He and I are connected because…I'm his direct descendent. My real name isn't even Brian…its Brainiac 5." It was Clark's turn to be shocked as he widened his eyes and took a few steps back.

"Brainiac…5?! Brainiac is your ancestor?!" Clark asked incredulously. He nodded slowly. "Over the centuries, Brainiac learned to produce his primary programming biologically and he wanted someone to carry on his work. That's where I came in." Brainiac 5 said calmly. Clark stood in stunned silence for a little while before he got his voice back. "So you…inherited some of his powers?" Clark asked.

Brainiac 5 nodded again. "I've inherited his vast intellect…level 12 intelligence to be exact. I also have his power to interact with computers and affect their programming in any possible way. That was how I was able to hack into my ancestor's systems; it was especially easy since I know his functions inside and out." Brian said. Clark was still unnerved. "Why did you keep this from me and Kara?"

Brian's brief smile faltered at the question. "I had a very good reason. I know how much Brainiac had hurt you and Kara, and if you knew that I'm related to that monster…you wouldn't trust me or even hear my warning." Clark started to feel less surprised, and felt a little more concerned. "What ever happened to Brainiacs 2, 3, and 4?" Brian did not hesitate this time.

"They were all failed attempts by Brainiac to make the perfect organic offspring of his image. I was his first…and only success." "_Only_ success?" Clark questioned again. "Brainiac didn't create any more offspring after me, because I turned against him." He said. Clark raised his eyebrows as Brainiac 5 continued. "When Brainiac made me, he made one huge mistake at making a pure organic offspring…that offspring loved life, not despised it. When I refused to follow in his footsteps, Brainiac tried to terminate me, but I found a way to deactivate him forever."

Clark listened with growing amazement. "I always wanted to protect life since my birth, and I wanted to use my gifts to make up for the evil my ancestor had inflicted in the past. That was when I joined up with a group of young, strong individuals dedicated to protecting the galaxy from all evil…The Legion of Super Heroes." Brainiac 5 said proudly. Clark was amazed yet again. "The Legion of Super Heroes?" Brainiac 5 nodded.

"Yes, they welcomed me with open arms after showing what I can do. Remember my Flight Ring?" He said, showing Clark his ring again. Clark nodded briefly. "Well, I'm not the only one who has one. I made a ring for each member of the Legion. It isn't just a way to fly; these rings are the symbol of our team. A full fledged Legionnaire has a flight ring. I have made a lot of useful inventions to help them out in missions." Brainiac 5 replied.

Clark started to feel easier, but there were still a few things he needed to know. "How come you are the only member of this "Legion" here?" Brainiac 5 hesitated again. "To be honest…none of the others know I'm here." Clark felt suspicious again. "Why is that?" "They told me that time traveling was not only forbidden in the 31st century…it was also extremely dangerous. Messing with the natural flow of time could prove very catastrophic, and thought it shouldn't be tried…no matter what."

"You went behind their backs and came here anyway?" Clark further questioned. Brainiac 5 nodded. "Yes; I wanted to change Earth's past. It was a long lost planet in my time…but that world always fascinated me, especially with you and Kara on it. I wanted to give your world a chance to overcome that darkness and shine brightly across the stars. It might become as advanced as any world I know someday if the threat I warned of you of was stopped. And I knew that if I helped you, I could make that happen." Brainiac 5 answered ambitiously.

Clark smiled for a bit. "Sounds like something I would have done if I were in your shoes." Brainiac 5 smiled back. "So, what exactly were those "headaches" you and Brainiac suffered?" Brainiac 5 stopped smiling, having to talk about his ancestor again. "Well, Brainiac and I share a primary code within our brains that connects us, like how a remote control car is connected to its controller. When we existed here at the same time, a signal was received by Brainiac, telling him that someone else with the same code was nearby...and it was me." Brainiac 5 said.

Clark nodded as he walked behind Brian. "This code…it keeps you connected to Brainiac constantly?" Clark asked. Brainiac 5 turned around slowly. "Unfortunately, yes…as long as he remains functional that is." Clark then came to an unsettling conclusion. "And since he doesn't get permanently deactivated until centuries later, then there is still a chance that he could corrupt you while you're here, right?" Brian looked stunned…and a little hurt.

"Look Clark, I'm stronger than you think! I didn't give Brainiac a chance to find out who I was so that he would have a chance to corrupt me! I'm _nothing_ like him, not one bit! How can you even _consider_ the possibility that I might become just like him?" Clark was caught of guard by Brainiac 5's outburst. "I didn't say you were anything like your ancestor. I was just concerned…" But Brainiac 5 had cut him off.

"Concerned about what? Were you going to say that I might embrace the dark legacy of my ancestor someday…just like Lex Luthor decided to follow the footsteps of his father? He was a friend to you, and yet even you couldn't stop him from going down that path. Were you thinking that the same could happen to me?!" Clark was shocked by Brainiac 5's accusation; still…it wasn't out of the line of possibility.

When Clark didn't say anything, Brainiac 5 shook his head in disappointment. "I see; well, I guess there is nothing more to say." Brainiac 5 said harshly as he flew out of the loft window and into the night. "Wait!" Clark yelled, but Brainiac 5 was already gone. Clark sighed heavily; he didn't think it would go this badly. Just when things couldn't get any worse, it did. "He's right Clark; you can't judge him by his heritage." Kara said as he appeared behind Clark, looking mad.

Clark was surprised to see his cousin there. "Kara, I thought you were still in the house?" Kara stood with a sour look on her face. "I was, but after I heard everything with my super hearing, I figured "why not accuse my cousin of misjudging a friend?"." Clark shook his head again. "That conversation was private; you had not right to eaves drop on us." Kara shrugged. "I wanted to know the truth about Brian as much as you do."

"Kara, I was not _misjudging_ Brainiac 5. I was worried that his time here might expose himself to Brainiac's influence, that's all." "Then why didn't you tell him that?" Kara asked. "I tried, but he wouldn't listen to me. He thinks that I'm convinced that he might be like Lex someday. I don't want to lose another friend that way." Clark said with remorse. Kara seemed to understand. "Well, I think you should've tried a little harder to convince him that you don't think of him as a threat."

Clark nodded. "You're right; I just didn't think he'd overreact the way he did. I've never seen him lose it before." Kara looked a little sad. "Me neither and I'm really worried. I'll go and find him." "I'll go with you; I'll search on the ground, you will search through the air. Hopefully one of us will find him." Kara shook her head. "Sorry cousin, but I don't think he wants to see you anytime soon."

As much as Clark hated to admit it, Kara was right. "Alright, call me when you find him. Don't be gone too long." Kara nodded. "I'll be careful." Kara replied as she flew off too. Clark was left alone in the barn, feeling sorry for himself for giving Brainiac 5 the wrong idea. "Don't be ashamed, Kal-El. You did nothing wrong." Clark turned around again to see John Jones again. "I'm not in a mood for another lecture, John."

Clark turned back at the night sky, feeling very guilty. John walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You need one, though." Clark sighed as he turned around and faced him. "I never meant to hurt him; I was just trying to help, letting him know that I still trust him and that I would be there for him. How could I have screwed up so badly?" Clark said shamefully. John shook his head.

"Sometimes we say the wrong things at the wrong time. People make mistakes all the time, no matter what world they come from or what species they are." Clark nodded. "I know, but…" he stopped himself. However, John knew what he was thinking as he read his thoughts. "You are afraid that he might actually become a great enemy, just like his ancestor." Clark nodded again. "I don't want that to happen, but what if it does happen and it was my fault, just like it was my fault that Lex became who he was?" John thought for a little bit before he answered.

"Remember Kal-El; it wasn't _entirely_ your fault. Lex chose that path himself…he wanted to go that way. He already had some darkness in his heart before he met you…it was just a matter of time before he had reason to embrace it. No matter what you could have said or done, Lex would have become a villain anyway." This was not making Clark feeling any better. "What's your point?" Clark asked annoyingly.

The Martian sat down on a chair and asked Clark to do the same. When he did, John talked again. "My point is that some people are made evil, not born evil. They become evil because they choose too. Even someone as close as a brother to someone else would not have prevailed to help him choose the right way. I should know; I've been through it with my brother." Clark was very attentive now. "You had a brother?" John nodded.

"Yes, I did. However, things have never been peaceful with us." John said sadly. Clark had switched his guilt with curiosity. "That reminds me, I don't know much about you or your people. What had happened to them? How did you come to live here on Earth? And how did you meet my father? Last time I checked, Krypton and Mars were not neighboring planets." Clark said.

John chuckled a little bit. "I guess it's time I told you my story…then maybe you will understand. Oreo?" He asked as he took a bag out of his coat. Clark nodded as he took a hand full and listened. John cleared his throat and began the tale. "Several centuries ago, my people were thriving on Mars. We were peaceful philosophers, and as such we lived for mental and spiritual enlightenment. One day, I was born with my twin brother, Malefic. He was different from the rest of us, for he was born with all but the most crucial of all Martian abilities: Telepathy."

"He must not have been happy about it." Clark replied. John shook his head sadly. "No, he wasn't; he hated that all the Martians could communicate telepathically while he couldn't. It didn't help that everyone else shunned him for his "mutant" status. I tried to comfort him, but to no avail." "What happened to him?" Clark asked, listening to every word of the story. John hesitated before he continued.

"After years of being tormented by his deformity, he had enough. Malefic had unleashed H'ronmeer's Curse; a telepathic flame plague that burned all Martians from the inside out from using telepathy. My people were vulnerable to fire, just like me. I knew it was him because only he could have come up with a vile disease such as that. I watched helplessly as my people burned and died…including my wife M'yri'ah and my daughter K'hym." John said in near tears.

Clark felt shocked at the way his people had perished. "I'm sorry." Clark said in sorrow. John nodded. "Thank you for your sympathies, Kal-El." Clark looked into the Martian's eyes. "Sounds like your brother was just as insane as Jor-El's brother." John nodded again. "Yes; that was one of the many things we had in common." Clark smiled. "How did you survive?"

John smiled with him as he took a bite from one of his cookies. "I was very fortunate; as fate would have it, I had vanished off of Mars while the plague was spreading. The next thing I knew, I was standing in a human laboratory. The scientist I encountered there, Dr. Saul Erdel, was responsible for bringing me to Earth, though it was an accident. He used a machine that he believed could probe the galaxy for aliens, but in reality became a space/time transporter made from remnants of Martian technology. When he used it to focus on Mars, it transported me to his lab in Middleton, Colorado."

"When did that happen?" Clark further questioned. "According to Dr. Erdel, I came here sometime in 1955. When I arrived, I was still traumatized by the deaths of my wife and daughter. I was frightened to be in this strange place, apparently far from home. Dr. Erdel was as kind as he was brilliant; he helped me back to myself. I asked him if any life was found on Mars, and he said no. That was when the truth had hit me; the plague had killed the rest of my people, and I was the last Martian alive." "What about Malefic?" Clark asked.

John shrugged. "I don't know; I never found out. Maybe he died sometime after I left. Anyway, Dr. Erdel told me to make my new home here on Earth and maybe do some good. I've been living here ever since, under the guise you see before you." John said, pointing at himself. Clark nodded. "How did you and Jor-El meet?" Clark asked again.

John smiled. "I remember that day very well, Kal-El. I was passing through Smallville on June 15, 1961 when I saw your father save Louise McCallum from Lachlan Luthor." Clark's mouth fell open. "You were there? You saw him use his powers?" John nodded. "I sure did. At first, I thought he was another surviving Martian like me, disguised as a human, so I watched him. When he told Louise of his home world, however, I was disappointed. His planet sounded nothing like Mars. Still, I kept an eye on him to learn more, for I was still curious about what he was and why he was here."

Clark became fascinated as the story continued. "I watched him meeting your earthly grandparents and followed your father and Hiram Kent to the Kawatche Caves. When Hiram left and Jor-El had hidden his pendent in the cave wall, as well as sealing the cave entrance, he had begun opening the portal that would take him back to Krypton. Before he opened it, I finally showed myself to him." "How did he react?" Clark asked curiously. John continued to smile.

"See for yourself." He then transmitted the whole scene in Clark's mind. Clark saw the first meeting between Jor-El and John Jones. "Wait, don't go." John said as he stepped out of the darkness and faced Jor-El. Jor-El became afraid of the black man that just appeared. "Who are you?" He asked. "My name is John Jones. What is yours?" John asked politely. "Joe." Jor-El answered. John shook his head. "I doubt that. Please tell me your real name." John asked.

"Why should I tell you anything? Have you come to arrest me for the murder of Louise? I didn't kill her!" Jor-El shouted in anger and fear. John held up his hands. "Calm down; I'm not a police officer. I'm not here to cause you any harm, Jor-El." Jor-El fell silent in shock. "How did you know my real name, human?" Jor-El asked fearfully. John tapped his head. "I read your mind just now to learn your name. Also, I'm not human…just like you're not."

Jor-El became less fearful, and more curious. "If you're not human, then what are you? Why are you here?" "I'm the last survivor of Mars, the red planet close to this world. I have been here for many years, and I haven't seen someone with strange powers here until I saw you a few days ago…when you saved that woman's life." Jor-El became silent for a while. "If you were watching me, why didn't you save Louise when she got shot?" He asked harshly.

"I didn't want to expose myself to you unless you were alone. Also, I didn't want to interfere in your "love life"." Jor-El flinched from his calm answer. He studied the Martian for a while. "What do you want, Martian?" Jor-El asked. John smiled. "I want to go with you, to whatever world you come from." Jor-El was surprised to hear that answer. "Why?" He asked.

"I've felt alone on this planet. Everyday I have to hide what I am from the people here, fearing what they might do to me. But I believe I can make a new home with your people. Tell me, what are you people like on your world?" John asked in hope. Jor-El, seeing the loneliness in John's face, explained. "On Krypton, my people are ruled by science and peace. They are not a prejudiced race like the humans, at least from what I've seen here." John smiled.

"They sound similar to my people. Do you think that…I would be welcome there?" Jor-El thought for a moment. "Perhaps…would you abide by our laws and statutes if you were to come with me?" Jor-El asked. John nodded. "Yes I would; I have no reason to harm you or your people." Jor-El then nodded. "Very well, then follow me John Jones." Jor-El then opened the portal and stepped through it, with John right behind him.

That was when the vision had ended and Clark returned to reality. He was amazed by what he saw. "Incredible…he let you go with him to Krypton?" Clark asked in amazement. John nodded once more. "Yes and his people did welcome me with open arms. Jor-El and I became close friends as the years went by on Krypton. I became a law enforcer for the Kryptonian Science Council and helped capture various criminals that tried to harm my new home."

"I'm glad they accepted you." Clark stated. John smiled back. "Me too, Kal-El. I was there for Jor-El on a number of occasions, including your parent's wedding and your birth. All that came to an end though, when Krypton was becoming destabilized. Your father asked me to go back to Earth and watch over you when you arrive. That was the last time I saw him." John finished. Clark and John sat in silence for a bit before Clark broke it.

"Jor-El didn't know anything about you when you two met; he could have seen you as a threat, and yet he decided to trust you." "Your father could tell how people felt just by studying their faces." John replied. Clark shook his head. "I wish that I had been more like that with Brainiac 5." Clark said as he looked down, feeling guilty again. "I'm sure you'll get your chance to set things straight with him when he and Kara get back." John said encouragingly.

John then got up and was about to leave when Clark asked him to wait. "Yes, Kal-El?" Clark smiled. "Thanks for the pep talk…and for story." John nodded. "You're welcome. Goodnight, Kal-El." He said as he flew off again. Clark was about to take out his cell phone when Kara flew back in, but she came back alone…to Clark's surprise. "Kara, where's Brainiac 5?" Kara shook her head.

"I'm sorry Clark; I couldn't find him anywhere. I just found…these." Kara said as she took two items out of her pockets and gave them to Clark. One was Brainiac 5's cell phone, which appeared to be crushed in pieces. The other item was his flight ring. Clark was shocked. "Where did you find these?" He asked his cousin.

"I found them in an alley in Metropolis a few minutes ago. I think he's been captured." Kara said in a worried voice. Clark shook his head. "How could he be captured, when he had his force field belt on him?" Kara shook her head too. "I don't know; he should've had it on." Clark couldn't believe this was happening. "Do you think it could have been Intergang?" Kara asked. Clark shrugged.

"I don't know, but there is nothing more we can do tonight. Let's get some sleep and try to find him tomorrow." Kara understood as she hugged her cousin. "I'm so worried about him, Clark. I hope he's still alive somewhere." "Me too, Kara." Clark replied as he held her tightly.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

Lucas was once again observing the subjects for the plan. As he watched them being augmented for the upcoming day, a figure appeared in the shadows. "How are the experiments going, Lucas?" said the figure behind Lucas. Without turning around, Lucas replied in a smooth voice. "They are going very well. They'll be ready for the big day."

The figure snorted. "The sooner they are ready for that day, the better. I'm tired of waiting." Lucas shook his head. "Patience is a virtue, and soon yours will pay off." The shadowed man snorted again. "I hope so, human." Lucas finally turns around to face the stranger. "By the way, my master wants to thank you for delivering the subjects to us; he looks forward to unleashing them on the planet." The man smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that he's pleased with my little present." "He is indeed. So how is your search going?" The figure grunted. "I cannot him anywhere; I've been searching for over a year now and still no sign of him." "How hard could it be to find a fellow Martian, Malefic?" Lucas asked as he chuckled. The man stepped out of the shadows with green skin and red glowing eyes. "I'm not a telepath like J'onn J'onzz is! Also, he's a shape shifter like myself; he could look like anyone."

Lucas shrugged. "Like I care about your petty desire to kill the only other survivor of your race. Anyway, if the subjects are as promising as you say, then my master will gladly reward you for your assistance." Malefic smiled. "That sounds nice, but I only desire one thing: The death of my brother."

To be continued.


	12. Chapter 11 Merge

Hey! Here is the next fun filled chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 11: Merge

Next day; Unknown Location:

Brainiac 5 woke up, and noticed that he was tied up to a big metal pipe and felt very weak. He looked around to see where he was, and saw that he was in a basement of some kind. He shook his head, trying to remember what happened before he ended up there. It came back quickly. He flew out of the Kent barn because he was upset about what Clark said to him. He decided to take a lonely walk in Metropolis to calm down.

As he was walking past a dark alley, an arm reached out, grabbed him, and pulled him into the alley. He was slammed against the wall, and felt all the energy being drained from his force field belt. He looked at the face of his attacker, but it was one he hadn't seen before. It appeared to be a bald, purple skinned man with a very hungry look on his face. He was laughing as he finished draining the belt's power supply…and then he started draining Brainiac 5's life energy.

He struggled to break free, but he was already too weak to fight back. He tried to punch him, but the man swatted his fist aside, causing his ring to fall off. He was too weak even to scream, so he tried to call Kara on his cell phone. But that didn't work either; for he fell unconscious at that point and dropped his cell on the ground. He wondered what that freak was and why it attacked him, and why he was chained up here.

He was about to get his answers, for at that moment the door to that room opened and a few men walked in. Brainiac 5 noticed the high tech weapons they were carrying. _'They must be more Intergang thugs.'_ Right behind the henchmen was the big boss himself, Bruno Mannheim. He looked very pleased to see his new hostage. But he wasn't the last person to walk in, for he brought in one more person…and Brainiac 5 panicked.

It was the purple man that attacked him. However, he appeared to be draining power from a large battery of some sort he was holding. Mannheim smiled, and not in a good way. "Don't worry about him this time; Parasite here won't be feeding on you again, for we need you awake." Parasite smiled. "Yeah, count yourself lucky, kid." Parasite said as he continued to drain the power from the battery. Mannheim kneeled down to eye level with Brainiac 5.

"Feeling better punk?" Mannheim asked. Brainiac 5 scowled. "I will once I get free and teach you a lesson!" He said weakly. Mannheim chuckled. "You still got some fight in you, I see. But I doubt you could do anything to break that chain." All the men in the room laughed, including Parasite. Brainiac 5 continued to scowl. "What kind of creature is that?" He asked as he stared at Parasite. Mannheim continued to smile.

"That's a funny story, wouldn't you say Parasite?" He asked. Parasite frowned. "I don't find what happened to me funny, Mannheim." Parasite then turned to Brainiac 5. "But just to answer your question, I wasn't always like this; I used to be a normal person named Rudy Jones. I was a small time janitor at S.T.A.R. Labs in Pittsburgh. A truck load of radioactive chemicals was being stolen from there recently by these guys and I hitched a ride with them."

"Why would you join them?" Brainiac 5 asked, still feeling drained. "I wanted a more exciting life than just a janitor, and I sure got it. The truck stopped in a warehouse in Smallville yesterday for Mannheim to come and pick it up. While we were unloading the barrels of the stuff, we felt strong tremors one after another and they made me drop one of the barrels on myself, and it spilled all over me. Next thing I knew, I looked like _this_." Parasite said while pointing at himself.

Brainiac 5 gasped; he knew that those tremors were caused by Kara while she was pounding her father in hatred. Parasite resumed his story. "I found out that I can absorb energy of any kind, and I need to feed constantly to survive; that's how I got the name "Parasite". At first I was horrified by what I had become, but Mannheim saw the potential and sent me to Metropolis to try to find a specific guy..._you_." He said while pointing at Brainiac 5.

"I had just finished sucking the power of an MP3 player when I saw you walk down the street last night. After I captured you, and smashed up your phone, I brought you here." Parasite finished. Mannheim nodded. "I'm glad you succeeded where my lackeys failed not once, but twice!" He said as he smoked his cigar. He then focused his attention back on Brainiac 5. "Now tell me: Where is Lucy Lane hiding at?" Brainiac 5 stared back in defiance.

"I'm not telling you anything, Ugly!" Suddenly, Mannheim punched Brainiac 5, hard. Mannheim was breathing hard and looked really pissed off. "Don't you EVER call me that! No one calls me _ugly_!" He shouted. Brainiac 5 smiled. "I just did." He said with his lower lip bleeding. Mannheim snorted. "Think you're funny do you? Sooner or later, you _will_ tell us where Lucy is." "Why do you want her so badly anyway?" Brainiac 5 asked.

Mannheim flicked the ashes on the cigar at Brainiac 5's face. "Let's just say she has something that I need, and I must have it back soon." Brainiac 5 coughed as the ashes got on his face. "What does Lucy have that you want?" Mannheim shook his head. "I'm not telling you, kid. You're the one that's going to do all the telling. Now, where is Lucy?" Mannheim asked once more. Brainiac 5 remained silent. Mannheim shook his head and grunted.

"Fine, have it your way. I have other business to take care of; I'll be back later to resume our interrogation." Mannheim said as he and everyone else left the room and locked the door, leaving Brainiac 5 alone in the darkness.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Daily Planet:

Clark was busy on his desk computer trying to find any leads on Brainiac 5's whereabouts, with Kara watching over his shoulder. "Haven't you found anything? You've been on that thing for an hour now." Kara complained. Clark sighed as he turned to her. "I'm sorry Kara; I can't find anything that says that a young boy mysteriously disappeared last night. It's like he just vanished into thin air."

"What about Chloe? Can't she find him?" Kara asked hopefully. "Chloe's doing everything she can, but so far she's found nothing." "Do you think that he could have returned to his time?" Kara guessed. Clark shook his head. "I doubt he'd return to the future without his ring." Kara sighed. "Clark, what if he's…?" Kara stopped before finishing the question; she didn't dare want to consider the possibility that he was dead. Clark put a hand on his cousin's shoulder.

"Look, we are going to find him. He's done so much to help us; it would be a poor way to repay him if we give up searching for him." Kara smiled. "You're right." Just then, Lois walked in. "Hey Kents, any luck finding Brian?" Clark and Kara said no; they told Lois that Brian was missing earlier in the morning, and she wasn't happy to hear it. Lois sighed. "I can't believe this; Chloe must be upset losing her brother." "We'll find him, somehow we will." Kara said in determination.

"I'm sure you will, but I'm afraid I'll have to steal your cousin for a while." Clark raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Lois?" Lois smiled. "Perry just gave us a big assignment. He wants us to get a scoop on the upcoming press conference at Queen Tower at 1:00." "Is Oliver going to make a business speech?" Clark asked. "Something like that; Perry heard a rumor that Ollie might make a partnership with another company, but its all mum. So, let's go." Lois insisted.

Clark turned back at Kara. "Sorry Kara, but you'll have to go solo again for a while. Stay with Chloe until I call you, okay?" Kara didn't like to just wait around, but if anyone could possibly find Brainiac 5, it would be Chloe. "Alright Clark; I'll head to the Isis Foundation. I'll let you know if Chloe has any leads." Kara said as she walked out. Clark sighed.

"Kara is really worried about Brian." He said to Lois as they walked out too. Lois nodded. "So are me and Chloe; I'm sure he's around here somewhere. We just gotta keep our heads high and look over every inch of this city until he pops up somewhere." Lois said optimistically. Clark smiled; somehow hearing Lois talk with such high spirits made him feel better.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Queen Tower:

Clark and Lois, among other journalists, were standing outside the entrance to Queen Tower, the current residence of Oliver Queen. Jimmy was there with them; Perry told him to take some decent photos at the conference. "Man, I wonder what's going to happen here." Jimmy said in excitement. "I'm sure we'll know soon enough, Jimmy." Clark replied. Suddenly, the man they had been waiting for had emerged.

Oliver Queen smiled and waved at all the reporters and photographers that were around, and there were a lot. He soon spotted Clark and Lois among the crowd and gave them a wink. Lois almost blushed when he did that, but she regained her composure as Oliver had quieted down everyone. He wore a handsome dark brown business suit with a brown tie.

"Thank you guys for taking the trouble to come out here to my humble home. Today is a big day for not just me, but for Queen Industries as well. You might have heard some unconfirmed rumors that my company with strike a partnership with another company on this day." Oliver shrugged. "Well, they're true." The reporters were whispering excitedly at the news. Oliver spoke again with a lot of energy.

"Recently, my company has been suffering a little bit because of some recent robberies. We've lost a lot of our stock and we're having trouble getting back on our feet. But if things go the right way, that problem can be solved." "What kind of robberies are you referring to?" An unknown reporter asked. Oliver turned to him while sighing a little.

"I rather not get into that. It's an uncomfortable subject, and I don't want any one to worry about it." "Of course he doesn't want to talk about it." An unpleasant voice said from the left side of the crowd. To Oliver's dismay, and Clark's as well, it was Lucas Luthor. He walked up to Oliver with a smug. "He's afraid to admit that his company is lacking in security." The crowd went "oooh" when Lucas said. Clark couldn't believe that Lucas was here, trying to make Oliver look bad in front of all these people.

"So that's Lex's half brother, Lucas?" Lois asked Clark. "Unfortunately," he replied unenthusiastically. Lois looked like she wanted to smack Lucas. "I always thought he was an asshole, just like Lex was." Lois said out of spite. Oliver turned to Lucas with a smirk. "If I had known you were going to be here as well, Lucas, I would've called to let you know that you _weren't_ invited." The crowd was surprised again by Oliver's comeback. Clark and Lois smiled. Lucas chuckled.

"That's funny, Oliver. Do you always act this way with a rival company's CEO?" Lucas asked. Oliver continued to smirk. "Only if it's someone I personally don't like." A few people laughed a little, including Lois. Lucas continued to smile. "What have you got against _me_?" The young Luthor asked. Oliver scratched his head. "Oh, let me think. Maybe it's because…you're a Luthor?" "You tell him, Ollie!" Lois whispered. Clark hoped that things wouldn't get out of hand.

Lucas lost his smile. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked. Oliver shrugged. "Nothing. Just speaking my mind, that's all." Lucas shrugged that last comment off. "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?" He asked. "Actually, I was just about to ask you when you're going to leave." "Ohhh!" the crowd went again. Lucas shook his head. "Not until we make an agreement." "About what?" Oliver asked impolitely.

"I'm here to merge Luthorcorp with Queen Industries!" Lucas stated loudly. The crowd was shocked to hear that statement, while the photographers began taking more pictures. Clark and Lois were the most shocked as they wrote down everything that was being said. "Lucas wants to merge his company with Oliver's?! What does he want with Queen Industries?" Lois asked. Clark was just as unsure. "I have no idea."

Oliver was caught off guard as well. He lost his smirk and began to act more business like. "You want to combine our companies? Why?" Oliver asked suspiciously. Lucas regained his smile. "Face it Oliver, you need more stock, and Luthorcorp can help you get it. As for what my company would gain, it would be your half of the resources. Also, there are a ton of benefits for both of us if we become partners. I don't think you can get a better deal than that." Lucas said as he held out his hand, waiting for Oliver to shake and seal the deal.

Clark and Lois knew that Oliver would _never_ make the deal. Oliver himself wasn't interested in it; after all, Lucas had sent a cyborg to steal from him months ago. The rest of the reporters were waiting for Oliver's decision. Oliver smiled again. "You heard that my company was going to merge with someone else's too, didn't you?" Lucas nodded. "Rumors travel pretty quickly in the business world."

"You think it's _your_ company that I want to partner up with, then?" Oliver asked. "Of course; turning down one of the best companies in the country would be a big mistake. My company just happens to be the closest one." Oliver shook his head. "I hate to say this, but even I don't know who I'm merging with today." Everyone was surprised by Oliver's statement, especially Clark, Lois, and Lucas. Lucas looked skeptical.

"You don't know _who_ you're merging with?! Why make this move when you don't know who…?" Oliver had cut him off. "I received a phone call yesterday that the company in question would be a big supporter to mine in any possible way, and its CEO is someone fair and generous." Lucas was losing his patience. "Who in the world would _possibly _want to merge his company with yours besides me?" He asked incredulously.

"That would be me." Oliver, Lucas, and the whole crowd of reporters turned to the right now and saw a handsome young man with dark hair, blue eyes, and dressed in an Armani suit step out of a taxi. As he was walking up to where the other CEOs were, everyone else was speechless at the new comer. However, it was Lois who was most fascinated by him. "Clark, do you have any idea who he is?" She whispered in excitement. Clark nodded. "Yeah, I do." He said in a surprised voice.

The new man stopped in front of Oliver and Lucas, who looked like they were knocked senseless. Oliver was the first to speak. "Wow! This is a…really unexpected pleasure." Oliver said as he shook the other man's hand. "Believe me, Oliver, the pleasure is all mine." He said smoothly. He then turned to Lucas. "Did I interrupt anything, Lucas?" Lucas was struggling for his voice as he shook the other man's hand.

"Actually, yes. I was just about to convince Oliver to let his company merge with mine, when you stepped in." He responded unpleasantly. The other man continued to smile. "I'm so sorry to interrupt your business discussion, but I'm the one that Mr. Queen should talk to about partnering companies." "So then, it was you who wanted to meet me about this?" Oliver asked. The man nodded.

"Indeed, I am. I heard about your company's little troubles, and I had asked one of my secretaries to give you an option of having our companies work together. We can bring a lot of good to all of our consumers, considering our companies' reputations." Oliver seemed very interested, but Lucas stepped in again. "Hold on; he hasn't even disagreed to merge with Luthorcorp yet!" The other man nodded. "You're right; I'll stand right here when you make your choice, Oliver." He then stood right behind Oliver, awaiting his decision.

No one had to wait long for the big decision, for Oliver had just now made up his mind. He smiled at Lucas. "Lucas Luthor, you make an interesting bargain." Lucas smiled as he raised his hand again, expecting Oliver to shake. To his shock, Oliver didn't. "However, I have just been given a better one." He then turned to the other man. Oliver held out his hand with a smile. "Bruce Wayne, I'd be honored to have Queen Industries and Wayne Enterprises work together." Bruce smiled back as he shook Oliver's hand, sealing the deal.

The reporters were trying to ask questions while all the photographers were taking pictures like crazy. Lucas, clearly both shocked and disappointed, walked away in defeat. Oliver and Bruce both smiled as they faced the crowd. Clark and Lois were glad that Oliver turned down Lucas' offer, but Clark was still concerned _why_ Lucas tried to get Oliver's company in the first place.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ace of Clubs:

Oliver and Bruce were having lunch after the press conference. "This is a nice place, Oliver. You sure picked a good city to move to." Oliver smiled. "You're not the only one with good tastes." Bruce smiled back. Just then, Clark and Lois walked to them. "Hi boys, are we interrupting a business meal?" Lois asked. Both men shook their heads. "Not at all, miss?" Bruce asked. Lois held out her hand.

"Lois Lane, Daily Planet reporter." "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Lane." Bruce said. Lois was holding his hand longer than she should and realized it when Clark cleared his throat. Lois had let go instantly. "My apologizes. This is my partner, uh, um…" "Clark Kent," he said annoyingly as he shook Bruce's hand. "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Kent." Bruce said politely. Oliver was getting the feeling that Lois was falling for the multi-billionaire, but didn't want to say anything.

"So Lois, are you here for an interview or to eat with us rich guys?" Oliver asked sarcastically. "I'm just here for an interview, Ollie, don't get so worked up." Lois said, noting the sarcasm in her former boyfriend's voice. "Well then, where do you want to begin, Lois?" Lois was surprised. "You really want to do interview?" Bruce nodded. "I only have interviews with people that are…worth my time." He said smoothly. Lois was feeling flustered, while Clark and Oliver felt annoyed.

Before Lois can ask any questions, Kara burst in. "Clark, I've been trying to call you! Why haven't you answered?" Clark sighed as he faced his cousin. "My phone was on vibrate; I was planning to turn it back up when this interview was over." He said apologetically. "How did you know that we were here, Kara?" Lois asked. "I was walking down here to find Clark when I saw him and you step in here, so I followed."

"Is there any trouble?" Bruce asked curiously. Clark turned back at him. "I'm sorry; Bruce Wayne this is my cousin, Kara Kent. Kara, this is Bruce Wayne." Kara instantly became interested as she saw him. "Hi, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Wayne." Bruce nodded. "Call me Bruce, Kara." He said back. Kara blushed, to the surprise of the other guys and especially Lois. "Hi, Kara." Oliver said to get her attention.

She snapped out of it as she heard him. "Oh, nice to see you too, Oliver." She then turned back to Clark. "I need to talk to you now, Clark, privately." Kara said. "Can it wait until after the interview?" Clark asked in a whisper. Kara shook her head. "No it can't. It's about…Brian." Kara whispered back; she couldn't let the others know what was going on. Before Clark could say anything, Bruce got up.

"Excuse me; I need to use the men's room." Bruce said as he walked. After he had gone, Kara insisted she and Clark talk alone. Clark gave in. "Okay, let's talk outside." He then turned to Lois. "I'm sorry; I'll be back in a minute." Lois nodded. "I'll just keep Oliver company." She said. Suddenly, Oliver got up too. "Actually, I need to get going too. I have, uh…other business to take care of."

As he walked out, he turned to back to Lois. "By the way, Lucy is just fine." Lois smiled. "Thanks for telling me. I'll come up to visit her in a little while." Oliver nodded as he walked out. Lois wondered why he left so suddenly, but remembered Clark and Kara. "You two go on and have your private chat; I'll just wait right here on my lonesome for Bruce to come back for his interview." Clark nodded as he and Kara headed out to the back of the Ace of Clubs.

"Did Chloe find him anywhere?" Clark asked when he saw that he and Kara were alone. Kara shook her head. "No; Chloe could not find any trace of him." Clark sighed. "Then why did you drag me out here?" "To tell you that her computer picked up a massive surge of energy that took place last night…right where I found his phone and ring." Clark was very concerned now. "What kind of energy surge?"

"She doesn't know, but what happened there had something to do with Brainiac 5's disappearance. That's what she thinks. She didn't know about it until just a little bit ago." Kara replied. Clark nodded. "Maybe Intergang found a way to get past his force field belt; it has to be them, I know it. They are the only ones after him." Kara nodded. "I agree; it just has to be them." "But, this doesn't get us any closer to finding him." Clark stated.

"When we do find him, and if it was Intergang that kidnapped him, they'll be so sorry. Even if they are holding him behind steel doors, we'll just rip them wide open and throw them at those guys." Kara said in anger. Clark calmed her down. "Easy Kara; we won't be doing any killing, alright?" A moment later, his cell phone beeped. "What is it?" Kara asked. "Someone just sent me a text message."

Clark opened his cell to see who it was from. At first he thought it might have been Chloe, but it had no name. "There's no name." Still curious, he read the message, which said:

"_I know where to find your friend. He is being held in an old factory in downtown, Metropolis._

_You are right about Intergang as well; they are holding him hostage. Why, only we can figure out._

_Meet me on the roof of the Daily Planet at midnight. I'll be waiting. Come alone_

_Anonymous._

Clark and Kara were puzzled as they looked around again, to make absolute sure they were alone. Neither of them saw anyone. "Clark, who could possibly know where to find him? And about Intergang?" Kara asked. Clark wasn't sure either. "I have no idea, but if whoever sent this does know where Brainiac 5 is, it could be our only chance of finding him." "Then let's met this guy."

Clark shook his head. "It said I should come _alone_." "But, it could be a trap." Kara said. "I don't have a choice. You head back to Chloe and tell her what's going on. I'll head back in the Ace of Clubs through the front door and help Lois' interview with Bruce." Kara nodded as she super sped out of sight, with Clark super speeding to the front door. The moment they left, Bruce Wayne stepped out of the door to the inside of the Ace of Clubs

Intrigued by what he saw and heard, he dialed a number on his phone. _"Yes, Master Bruce?"_ said an old voice on the phone. "Alfred, I'm going to be out late tonight. Get everything ready." Alfred on the other line seemed to understand. _"I'll get on it right away, Master Bruce."_ Alfred said as Bruce hung up. He smiled as he looked at the spot where Clark and Kara were.

'_Something tells me this is going to be one hell of a night'_ He thought as he walked back inside to begin his interview with Clark and Lois.

To be continued.


	13. Chapter 12 Knight

Hey! Here is another action-packed chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 12: Knight

Isis Foundation:

"So you have _no_ idea who sent you that text message?" Chloe asked Clark a few hours later when he arrived. Clark shook his head. "Not at all; but this person claims to know where Brainiac 5 is and wants to meet with me tonight...alone." Chloe didn't like this one bit.

"Clark, getting an anonymous text message and responding to it is not usually a good idea, especially alone! I seriously wouldn't get in touch with your mysterious sender until we know exactly who we're dealing with." Chloe said seriously.

"But Chloe, this could be our only chance to find Brainiac 5!" Kara retorted. "I know Kara, but I'm still saying that it's a bad move to go meet a tipster without any info about him." "Can't you trace the message back to where it came from?" Clark asked. Chloe didn't seem sure. "I'll give it a shot."

Clark handed his phone to her and did her magic on the Isis mainframe to try to trace the text's origin. Clark and Kara waited impatiently for Chloe to discover the phone that sent the text message. After a while, Chloe laid back and sighed heavily.

"Well?" Kara asked. Chloe looked frustrated. "I couldn't find the source of the text; every time I tried a different means of tracing, I get bounced off! It's as if the tipster _knows_ that I'm trying to find him! Whoever sent that message, he isn't a slacker."

Clark nodded. "Then I guess there is one thing to do." Chloe looked at Clark with great concern. "Clark, listen to me. If this is some kind of trap, you should stay away! It's too risky!" Clark sighed. "Chloe, we have no other options. The only way to know what's going on is to meet him at midnight, alone." He added when he saw that Kara was about to say something. "C'mon, I have as much right to be there as you do." Clark still disagreed.

"I have to do what the message says. Like it or not, its our only lead." Both girls understood. To change the subject, Chloe began to talk about the interview. "So Clark, how did the interview with Gotham City's multibillionaire playboy go?" Clark looked annoyed now.

"It went…okay. He gave a good interview, and I'm sure it would make a great story for the Daily Planet…if Lois can keep her mind on the job." Chloe looked curious. "What do you mean?" Clark shrugged it off. "Nothing; it's just that Bruce kept flirting with her during the interview, and Lois didn't seem to mind at all."

Chloe and Kara noted the irritation in his voice. "Well, you got to understand Clark; Bruce Wayne is well known for being a lady's man. Even an army brat like Lois would have a hard time resisting a guy like him." "Funny; that's how she fell for Oliver, right? And look how they ended up." Clark bluntly stated.

"People can't help it if they are attracted to someone, Clark." Kara replied almost indignantly. He turned to his cousin. "Maybe, but I don't want Lois to be with someone like Oliver again." Clark said. "Don't worry about it; I'm sure Bruce is only here to finalize his partnership with Oliver before heading back home." Chloe replied rationally.

That brought up a similar subject in her mind. "Hey, I saw on the news that before Bruce arrived, Lucas came and tried to get Oliver to merge with him. It looked like those two were about to go at it!" Chloe exclaimed. Clark nodded.

"If Bruce hadn't shown up when he did, they would have fought with more than just insults." "Yeah, and that brings up an interesting question. Why would Lucas try to merge his company with Oliver's? What would that gain?"

"No clue; I'm still wondering about the Queen Industries robberies that had been taking place before today. Oliver refused to discuss it with all the reporters; I'll talk to him about it after I meet our stranger tonight and hopefully bring back Brainiac 5." Clark finished.

Kara looked worried at the mention of the name. "I hope whoever sent that message is telling the truth." Clark nodded. "We'll know tonight."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Luthorcorp CEO Office:

Lucas was looking sour as he filled out some papers. He couldn't believe that he failed to acquire Queen Industries. _'Damn you, Bruce Wayne. I needed Queen Industries for the plan, and you took it away from me!'_

Just when he thought nothing could aggravate him further, he heard the door open and saw he had a visitor. It was Lois, and she looked determined for some reason. Lucas sighed as he saw her. "I'm not in the mood for a chit chat, miss."

"Too bad, because I'm not leaving until you tell me why you wanted Queen Industries so badly." Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Why should I tell you anything? It's none of your business." "It is for the press; I'm here for an interview." Lucas sighed again.

"Like I said, I'm not in the mood. Who are you anyway?" "Lois Lane, Daily Planet." Lois said annoyingly. Lucas snapped his head up, looking alert this time. _'Lane?'_ Lucas suddenly smiled. "On second thought, maybe an interview will do me some good." Lois seemed intrigued by his change of attitude.

"So, Miss Lane, what would you like to know?" Lucas asked. "First of all, why were you interested in Queen Industries?" Lucas studied Lois a little bit before answering. "I was trying to do Oliver Queen a favor. With his company a little short on stock, I believed that combining his company with mine would help him get back on his feet."

Lois didn't seem convinced. "I doubt that. The day a Luthor "does a favor" for anyone is the day I believe in aliens." Lucas seemed stunned. "You're judging me by my family?" "Oh…pretty much." Lois replied with a smirk.

Lucas was irritated again. "What have you got against the Luthors, Lois?" "There's not enough room in a newspaper article to describe why I'm not a fan of the Luthors." Lois said. Lucas shook his head. "You sound just like Oliver; he didn't seem to like me either."

"Can't say I'm surprised." Lois replied. "Personally, I agree with him that you and your family are a bunch of liars and power hungry maniacs...with no remorse whatsoever." Lucas shot her a look of both simple dislike and subtle malice.

"What are you _really_ thinking, Lois; that I want to take over the world, and acquiring Queen Industries was my first step?" He inquired. Lois still smirked as she answered. "I think that _you_ are somehow behind the Queen Industries robberies, that you took all that stock to sabotage the company. Then, when the time was right, you would show up to merge your company with Oliver's." Lucas remained expressionless as he listened.

"Those robberies and your appearance at the press conference…I don't believe it was just a coincidence." Lois finished. Lucas smiled and chuckled a little bit. "You sure do have an imagination, Lois. Is this how you were with Lex when he was here?" Lois looked surprised.

"How do you know that I knew Lex?" Lucas got up and walked around to her. "Lex and I had been keeping in touch since I left Smallville. He tells me a lot of what's been going on, and vice versa. 4 years ago, he began to tell me about a young woman who was a pain in the ass…you."

Lois widened her eyes. "Really? What did he say about me?" Lucas shrugged. "Oh, not much. Just how you never got off his back, always suspecting he was up to something, and how your sister once tricked him into giving her fifty thousand dollars before double crossing him." Lois was left stunned.

Lucas smiled at the fact that he silenced her. "Her name was Lucy, wasn't it? You must be proud to have a thief in the family." Lois then smacked Lucas hard on his right cheek. She looked like she wanted to kill him.

"_No one_ talks about my sister like that, you bastard! She's reformed, for your information! And if you say another thing about her, I will personally kick your ass!" Lucas, while rubbing his face, still smirked.

"Lex also said you had a nasty temper, and he was right." Lucas then became more serious. "Well, I think this interview is over, wouldn't you say?" Lois didn't say another word before she left. Lucas shook his head while muttering "bitch".

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Daily Planet:

Clark had just arrived on the roof of the Daily Planet, wearing his Steel costume. It was midnight, so he looked around for the person that contacted him earlier. As hard as he looked and listened, he didn't see anyone...though it was dark. He was starting to think it was a setup after all. "Hello? Is anyone up here?" He called out.

There was only silence. Shaking his head, he turned to the door...only to find someone standing in front of it. It appeared to be a man, and he was dressed entirely in black. His outfit consisted of a bat shaped cowl, a cape that reached down to his feet, and gloves and boots. His costume looked a little like body armor of some sort, except none of them had a small bat symbol on the chest.

"Who are you?" Clark asked. The stranger stepped foward slowly. "I'm Batman." He replied in a deep, dark voice. Clark wasn't sure if he was an enemy or not. "I can see that." He replied. Batman did not smile. "And you are?" He asked. "Steel." Batman studied him. "Do you always dress so...colorful?" Clark smirked. "I didn't make this outfit; it was given to me by a friend."

"So was mine." Batman replied mysteriously. Clark didn't have time to mess around. "I was expecting someone else." Batman said. Thinking quickly, Clark came up with a cover. "You must be referring to Clark Kent." Batman nodded. "That would be the guy's name."

"He contacted me about your message on his phone and I told him I would meet you instead of him...just to be safe." Batman smiled. "I'm sure he did." Clark continued. "How did you get his number to send that message, anyway?" Batman continued to smile. "I looked in the Smallville phonebook." Clark shook his head. "Have it your way. What do you know about the kidnapping?" Batman stepped over to the edge of the roof and looked around.

"I know that the victim in question is Brian Sullivan, brother of Chloe Sullivan. I also know that Bruno Mannheim and his Intergang goons are holding him prisoner in a factory downtown. It hasn't been used for a while, so it would be an idle place for a hideout for criminals like him."

Clark walked over to him. "How do you know it was him that was behind it?" Batman turned to him. "I've been keeping an eye on Mannheim for a while now, and kept a close eye on his operations. Recently his men stole a truck full of radioactive chemicals from S.T.A.R. Labs in Pittsburgh, and they arrived in Smallville earlier today to deliver the payload."

"What does Mannheim want with that stuff?" Batman shook his head. "I don't know, but a lowlife like Mannheim wouldn't be interested in highly dangerous material unless he's planning something big." Clark didn't understand how all this was connected to Brainiac 5. Batman continued.

"There were small earthquakes in Smallville today, and it caused a barrel to drop on one of Mannheim's men...turning him into a energy absorbing freak nicknamed "Parasite"." "_Parasite?_" Clark said. "Yeah; that name pretty much describes him. Mannheim sent him to an alley near here and attacked a young boy on the street. He nevered had a chance; all the energy got sapped out of him just by being touched by Parasite."

Clark looked worried. "Parasite then took him to that factory I mentioned in my message." "If you knew all this, why didn't you stop him and rescued Brian?" Clark said heatedly. Batman looked away. "I wasn't here at the time; I used a satelite I hacked into to moniter all of Mannheim's actions in and out of Metropolis." "So, why are you here? Why do you want to help Clark find Brian?"

Batman turned to him again. "Let's just say it's good practice. Also, I know how it feels to lose someone close. I don't like to see familys ripped apart by heartless criminals; they should pay, and I do that by striking fear into their very souls." Clark felt a strong chill coming from Batman; he never met anyone like him before.

Batman shook his head. "Anyway, I scouted the place a short while ago, and it's heavily guarded. Every entrance is being watched and they use weapons of unknown origin. It might be tough getting in, even for me. Maybe you could help?" He asked. Clark hesitated. "How do I know that you can be trusted?" Batman remained stone faced. "You don't; it's your call."

Clark thought for a moment. He wasn't sure Batman would remain loyal; he even thought he might be an agent for Mannheim. However, he also knew that this guy is only one who knows where Brainiac 5 is. He made his choice.

"Alright, I'll believe you. But if you try anything, I won't feel sorry for what happens next." Batman smiled again. "Fair enough. Follow me." He then took out what looked like a grabbling hook and fired it at another building nearby. Once he had a firm grip, Batman got onto the ledge. "Think you can keep up?" He challenged as he swung across the streets below. Clark smirked.

As soon as Batman landed on the next building, he turned around to see that Steel was no longer where he stood. As Batman turned back, he was surprised to see Steel right in front of him. "What kept you?" He said with his arms folded, smirking. Batman actually laughed this time. "It seems there is more to you than I thought, Steel." Clark laughed too as they continued to the factory.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Intergang Hideout:

Steel and Batman had arrived at the factory in little time. Batman was right; the place was heavily guarded. The factory was several stories high and looked completely rundown. They both saw Intergang men with heavy looking weapons moving btw any and all entry points.

"You weren't kidding about the security for this place." Steel said quietly as he and Batman hid behind a wall nearby. "Where do we get in?" He asked. Batman pointed to the right. "We move in through the back. This way." Batman moved with Steel right behind him.

When they saw the back door, they noticed it had just as many men guarding it as the front, at least 4 or 5. "I guess you thought the back door would have less security?" Steel asked. Batman didn't look pleased. "That was the idea; Mannheim must be more paranoid than I thought."

"I'll take care of them." Steel said. Before he could move in, Batman grabbed his shoulder. "Let me handle this." Batman said confidently as he took out a small pellot from his belt and threw it at the men. As soon as it landed, smoke hissed out and covered the whole place. Steel had to use his x-ray vision to see behind it.

Almost immediately, Batman jumped in and attacked the thugs one by one. He elbowed one in the face and flipped him over his shoulder, and then he side kicked the next guy on his left. Another thug tried to punch him, but do to the smoke he couldn't see as Batman headbutted him.

Batman then grabbed the collars of the last two and had them bash their heads against each other, and finally threw them down. By that time, the smoke had gone; all that happened in matter of seconds. Steel approached Batman looking impressed.

"You sure know how to fight." Batman smiled. "That was just child's play." He then went to see if the door was locked, which of course it was. "It'll take me a second to crack this open." Steel then tapped Batman's shoulder. "It's my turn." He said. Curious, Batman moved aside. Steel just grabbed the door handle and tore the whole door off, before throwing it away like a piece of trash.

Batman was the one impressed now. "If I had known you were as strong as you are fast, I would've let you helped out." "I'm sure there will be a lot more action inside, now let's move." Steel and Batman moved inside the factory quickly and began their search for Brainiac 5.

To be continued.


	14. Chapter 13 Finest

Here we are: Clark and Batman's mission to rescue Brainiac 5! Will they succeed? Find out now, enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 13: Finest

Intergang Hideout:

Mannheim was in the room again with Brainiac 5, no doubt trying to get Lucy's whereabouts out of him again. "I'm starting to lose my patience again, kid. Tell me where to find Lucy!" He shouted. Brainiac 5 stared back hatefully.

"Over my dead body." He replied. Mannheim punched him in the gut, causing Brainiac 5 to gasp and moan in pain. "That can be arranged. But first, Lucy Lane's location." But before he could say anything else, he heard his phone ring and picked it up.

"What is it? I'm in the middle of something important." The voice on the other line was one of his men. "Sorry sir, but we have a situation up here. The back door has been torn completely off and all the men patrolling it are out cold." Mannheim grunted and cursed.

"Someone must know the boy is here. Find the intruder and kill him immediately. If things get messy, send in Parasite." He ordered. "Yes Mr. Mannheim, we're on it." Mannheim then hung up. He turned back at Brainiac 5 with a nasty stare. "Don't think that you're home free because someone broke down my back door! You are still not going anywhere."

Brainiac 5 made no retort, though he felt a twinge of hope. _'Could it be Clark? Has he really come here to find me?'_ Mannheim locked the door leading out so that he and his prisoner would be protected from whoever, or whatever, broke in.

Meanwhile, Steel and Batman were sneaking around the big factory. Steel tried to use his x-ray vision to find out exactly where Brainiac 5 was in that place, but he couldn't see through anything; the factory walls were made with lead.

"How are we going to find Brian? He could be anywhere." Steel asked. "Most likely, Mannheim will have him somewhere isolated and difficult to escape from. He might be in the basement of the factory." Batman surmised.

Steel didn't wait for the stairs, so he just jumped down to the bottom over the rails. A small, but noticeable, cracked spot appeared where he landed. Batman followed him down shortly the same way and landed right beside Steel, who was surprised.

"How did you jump all the way down here without injuring yourself?" Steel questioned. Batman pointed at his cape. "It's not just for show; it can harden with controlled electric impulses from my suit and act like a parachute. What about you?"

"Very few things can actually hurt me." He replied vaguely. Steel and Batman continued to be impressed of each other as they moved forward down the hall. They didn't move too far when they were instantly surrounded by a dozen Intergang members.

"Don't move, or you'll regret it!" One of them threatened. Steel and Batman looked at each other. "You take the half on the right; the other half is mine." Batman suggested. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing." The two smirked before going on the attack.

Steel and Batman moved swiftly enough to avoid the incoming blasts from Intergang's weapons. Batman dropped kicked the first thug he ended up with and landed an uppercut on the second one. He turned his head to the next thug, smiling deviously.

Steel grabbed the first two thugs and threw them into the metal walls, knocking them out instantly. Another one fired his weapon at Steel, only for it to be completely ineffective (to the shock of the thug). Steel then super sped to him, took the weapon, and wrapped it around his wrists like metallic ribbon paper.

After that Steel lightly tapped him on the forehead, causing him to fall instantly to the floor into unconsciousness. One by one, they all fell by the hands of the powerful pair. When they each had one left they threw them at each other, making a noticeable crunching sound before they hit the ground.

Steel and Batman were pleased with themselves. "Not too shabby." Batman commented. Steel smiled back. "Looks like we make a pretty good team." Batman nodded, but then his smile faded when he looked behind Steel.

"Behind you!" But it was too late; Parasite had grabbed Steel and began sapping him of his energy. Steel yelled painfully as he began to weaken. Luckily, he managed to elbow the creature off of him and into a nearby pillar.

Steel fell on his knees, feeling extremely out of breath. "Are you okay?" Batman asked as he helped his comrade up. "Just a little…drained." Steel replied weakly. They both heard laughing from Parasite as he got back up. He seemed completely uninjured.

"That didn't hurt one bit! I've NEVER had this kind of power before; it's unimaginable!" Parasite remarked at the power he took from Steel. Steel and Batman began to think the same thing: They were in big trouble.

"Let me guess…Parasite?" Steel asked faintly. "I'm afraid so." Batman answered. Parasite stared at the duo hungrily. "I need more where this came from…so stand aside batty, unless you want to be fed on next!" The monster threatened.

Batman didn't look too worried, at least not to Steel. "I've heard more intimidating threats than that." Batman said as laid Steel next to a nearby pillar and stood btw him and Parasite.

"No…don't get near him; he's become…too strong." Steel said, barely above a whisper. Batman didn't turn back. "I know what I'm doing." He replied. Parasite approached Batman with every intent on killing him before moving back to Steel.

"If you insist on being an appetizer, so be it. After I'm done with you, I'm going back for the main course!" Parasite then ran super fast and hit Batman hard, crashing him into a wall. He struggled to get up again, but Parasite picked him and held him on the wall.

"It's feeding time!" Parasite exclaimed as he began to absorb Batman's energy too. "Batman!" Steel yelled as he tried to move, but he was still to weak to help. Batman was fading fast. Through sheer force of will, Batman moved his arms to try to push Parasite off of him, but it was useless; Parasite's grip was too strong.

Parasite was laughing insanely as Batman's arms fell. "It'll all be over in a matter of…AAAHHHHHHH!!" Parasite began to scream in pain and was forced to let go of Batman. The monster was suffering a violent spasm and yelled incoherently.

After a long moment of this, Parasite stopped screaming and collapsed; he was exhausted. "I…don't understand…my power is…gone!" He gasped. "I'm sure glad it is." Steel said as he punched Parasite into a wall, hard; Steel had started to regain his strength.

After finally knocking out the creature, Steel slowly approached Batman, who was starting to get up himself. As weak as he was though, he laughed. "What the hell just happened?" Steel asked as he picked him up.

"I wasn't trying to push him off me. I placed a small, but powerful, energy absorbent from my belt. The material is usually used to drain the power from machines and computers at Wayne Tech that went haywire.

"When I learned that I might bump into Parasite, I…borrowed some just in case." For a second, Steel appeared surprised once more…even a little shocked. "You _stole_ from one of Bruce Wayne's companies?" Batman shook his head.

"No; Mr. Wayne and I have an understanding." Steel continued to look at Batman, and a moment later, he appeared more shocked than ever. Batman noticed this. "Got a problem working with a thief?" Steel had let go of his shock and shook his head.

"Not if it means rescuing Brian from Mannheim. And besides, you just saved my life; I owe you one." Batman smiled back as he stood side by side with Steel once more. "You always carry something to help you out of a tight spot?" Steel asked.

"I like to be prepared for anything…even the worst." He replied. As they moved down the hall once more, they felt their own strengths returning. "It's starting to come back, but not fast." Batman said.

"Then maybe it's your turn to take a breather; after Parasite, Mannheim will be a piece of cake for me." He said as they rested by another metal pillar. Batman shook his head. "I'm not that weak." Steel wasn't convinced. "And I'm Will Smith." He quipped.

Steel and Batman chuckled softly, still slightly out of breath. "Fine, but let me ask you this: What does Mannheim want with Brian Sullivan?" Steel's smile faded as he heard the question. "He wants Brian to tell him where to find Lucy Lane, Brian's cousin."

Batman became curious. "Why is Mannheim after her?" "Nobody knows, not even Lucy herself; Clark told me everything." He quickly filled Batman in on Lucy's past encounters with Intergang. "I saved them in time, took them to the Kent Farm and destroyed the tracking device that was attached to Lucy."

"Is Lucy still there?" Batman further inquired. "No; Clark and Lucy's sister, Lois, took her to a safe place. And sorry, Clark didn't tell me the name of _that_ place, so I can't tell you." Batman smirked. "I didn't ask where she was now."

Steel shook his head. "How are you feeling?" "Well enough to wrestle a bull." Steel laughed as he and Batman resumed moving. "Yeah, me too." Back inside the interrogation room, Mannheim was beginning to sweat.

"Why hasn't anyone called me back about the intruders? I should've heard something by now!" Mannheim said frustratingly. "Maybe whoever broke in was just too much for your men, or even Parasite, to handle." Brainiac 5 taunted. "Parasite can handle anything; he's an energy sucker for crying out loud!" Mannheim retorted.

He then heard knocking on the door. Mannheim stiffened. "Who's there?" He asked nervously. "It's me, Parasite. The intruders have been sucked dry." Mannheim wiped his brow in relief. "Good; I was afraid that someone actually took you down."

Brainiac 5 lowered his head in hopelessness. His only hope of rescue seemed gone. "Nobody can bring the _Parasite. _Open up already, so I can show you who I fed on tonight." Mannheim then went to the door and unlocked it.

"I can't wait to see who was stupid enough to try to get past you." The moment he opened the door, a fist had hit him square in the nose and knocked him to the floor. Batman walked in, massaging his fist, followed by Steel.

"That was a good voice imitation; you sounded just like him." Batman said as he saw Mannheim rubbing his face. "Thanks; strong vocal cord control is something I've been working on during my spare time." Steel replied jokingly.

Brainiac 5 smiled as he saw Steel coming to free him. "I can't believe you're here! How did you find me?" "Ask my partner over there; he led me right to you." Brainiac 5 turned to see Batman, who smiled when Steel called him "partner". Brainiac 5 recognized him instantly, but said nothing.

"Are you alright?" Steel asked as he broke the chain that held Brainiac 5 in place. "I have had a few punches, but I'll heal." He said as he rubbed his wrists. "Listen, I'm sorry about how I overreacted the other night…" Steel held up his hand.

"There will be time for that when were are out of here." Brainiac 5 nodded. "What about Mannheim?" "Leave him to me." Batman said as he grabbed Mannheim by the collar and picked him up. "Could you two leave us; I want to ask him a few questions." Steel and Brainiac 5 nodded and walked out of the room and closed the door.

When they were alone, Mannheim stuttered. "Who the hell are you?! Where's Parasite?!" Batman stared into Mannheim's eyes without blinking. "Your leech has been drained. Now Mr. Mannheim, tell me why you're after Lucy Lane."

Mannheim widened his eyes with shock. "How do you _know_ that?" Batman had thrown him at the wall and held him there. He sneered at Mannheim. "I'm the one asking questions Mannheim! Now talk!" "Or you'll do what?" Mannheim challenged.

Batman then smiled, and not in a good way. "You don't want to know." Mannheim shuddered a bit. "No matter what you do, I'll never talk!" Batman punched him again, resulting in Mannheim's nose bleeding.

"Are you insane?!" Batman moved his face a few more inches toward Mannheim's, and the look in Batman's eyes at that moment made Mannheim wish this whole thing was a nightmare. "Last chance, talk…or it'll be hell on Earth for you!" Batman whispered. Mannheim, now completely terrified, gave in.

"Alright! I'll talk, just don't kill me!" Mannheim cried. "That's more like it." Outside of the room, Steel and Brainiac 5 waited while Batman "questioned" Mannheim. Batman came out 15 minutes later, looking satisfied.

"Let's go; we're done here." Together, the three of them headed out of the factory. "So, did you find out why Mannheim had Intergang chase Lucy Lane for weeks?" Steel asked. "Yes, and it leads to more questions than answers."

"What did he say?" Brainiac 5 asked. "Mannheim said he was after Lucy because she holds a priceless artifact apparently very valuable to him. He claims that it holds incredible power of some sort, and he wanted it badly." "What is this artifact?" Steel asked.

"A small blue scarab, and he claimed it came from the top of the tomb of Pharaoh Kha-Ef-Re. He was one of the most powerful Pharaohs in ancient Egypt." "What does Mannheim want with it?" Brainiac 5 questioned. "He didn't tell me; he fainted before he could answer." Steel and Brainiac 5 stared at each other, stunned.

"Fainted?" Steel inquired. "Guess I was too much for him." Batman said in amusement. "Well…how did Lucy get the scarab?" Brainiac 5 asked. Batman shrugged. "I didn't get to ask that either."

"I'm sure I can get the remaining answers from Lucy." Steel said as the finally reached outside. Steel then turned to Brainiac 5. "Brian, wait right here for a moment; I want a private chat with Batman, it won't take long." He nodded as the duo walked a little bit out of earshot.

"What is it?" Batman asked. "First, I want to thank you for your help in finding and rescuing Brian; it means more than you know." Batman smiled. "It was no problem." "You are definitely an interesting person to fight side by side with Batman, or is it…_Bruce Wayne_?" Batman's eyes widened and froze.

"What did you say?" He said in a stunned whisper. Steel smiled. "Don't be afraid; it's _your_ job to make others afraid of you." Batman didn't speak for a moment, deciding on what to say. "How long have you known?" He asked.

"I've known right after you said that you stole some material from one of Bruce Wayne's companies and said you two had an understanding. The only way you could have so much of that stuff to stop Parasite…is for the person owning the company to take it. And besides, I looked through your mask with my x-ray vision ." Steel said while pointing at his eyes.

Batman, once again amazed by Steel's abilities, smirked. "I thought I was the only one on the team with a bag full of tricks. But you obviously have some "tricks" of your own." Steel chuckled. "I promise to keep this btw us." Batman nodded. "I believe you. Why don't you give me your real name, and we'll call it even?" Steel shook his head.

"Not unless you are a great detective yourself." Batman smiled mysteriously but said nothing. "You still have Clark's number?" "Yes, but if you want me to delete it, I'll do it without hesitation." Steel shook his head. "I want you to keep it, but I'm sure he would want me to have your number in case I need your help again."

Batman still smiled. "I'll send him a text with the number, and then I'm sure he'll give it to you." Steel nodded as he held out his hand. "It was an honor to fight with you. I hope we work together again in the near future." Batman shook his hand firmly. "I have a feeling we will."

Just then, they heard police sirens, and they were getting closer. "Before you ask, I left a gift for Mannheim; a beacon that alerts all police in the city and leads them here. I made Mannheim so frightened that he will find prison very welcome. And I made sure that they will have Parasite locked up in Belle Reve." Batman said.

"Nice move; Lucy won't have to worry about Mannheim anymore. Thanks." Steel said as he moved back to Brainiac 5, picked him up, and zoomed out of sight. Batman quickly moved in the shadows just seconds before the police arrived.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Kara and Chloe were sitting alone on the couch, waiting to hear back from Clark. Just then they heard knocking. Kara went to answer the door and was extremely happy; it was Clark and Brainiac 5. Kara and Chloe hugged them both after they walked in.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Kara said joyfully. "Me too; I guess whoever sent that text message wasn't bluffing after all?" Chloe asked Clark. "It's a long story and I've had an exhausting night; I'll talk to you about it in the morning." Clark replied as he took of his shades.

Chloe yawned. "Well, since it's so late, I'll just bunk here. Is that alright, Clark?" "Absolutely. Goodnight, Chloe." "Goodnight everybody." Chloe said as she went upstairs to bed. After she had gone up, Kara turned to Clark. "Thanks for bringing him back Clark; I can't wait to hear how you pulled it off." Clark laughed.

"It'll be a doozy." "Listen, I'm going to stay up a little longer; I want to have a talk with Brainiac 5." Brainiac 5 seemed shocked that Kara knew his real name. Clark nodded. "Alright; I'll see you two in the morning." Clark said as he went upstairs too.

When they were alone, Brainiac 5 still looked surprised. "Clark told you? He promised he wouldn't!" Kara held up her hands. "Calm down; Clark didn't tell me. I super eaves dropped from in here." Kara said, pointing at her ears.

Brainiac 5 relaxed a bit. "Oh, I see." He didn't say anything else as he turned his back on Kara. "Brainiac 5, look at me." Kara said. Reluctantly, her new boyfriend faced her again. "How can you even look at me again, Kara? You know who, and _what_, I am now." Kara nodded.

"That doesn't matter; I don't care that you're a descendent of Brainiac! You are exactly the opposite of what he is, and that is why I love you." Brainiac 5 still didn't look any better. "I'm related to the monster that imprisoned you in the Phantom Zone, and you still don't despise me?" Kara gave him a small peck on the forehead.

"How can I despise you?! You've done nothing but good since you came into my life: You rescued me from the Phantom Zone, you helped me and Clark free Chloe, you gave Clark a tool to rebuild his Fortress, and you saved me from your own ancestor!"

Brainiac 5 finally smiled. "I did do some good, didn't I?" Kara nodded as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "You are so good, I don't see one bit of the original Brainiac in you." Brainiac 5 smiled as he and Kara shared a passionate kiss. Unbeknownst to them, Clark had overheard them with his own super hearing; Kara had finally rubbed off on him a little bit, much to his displeasure. He was stunned to learn that his cousin and Brainiac's direct descendent were really in love.

Though he knew that Brainiac 5 was no threat, he still felt uncomfortable about Kara dating someone who wasn't from this century. He decided to worry about it later as he went into his bedroom.

He was beginning to take off his costume when he heard his cell phone buzz. He picked it up and got the following message:

"_Look outside your window."_

Curious, he opened the curtains to his window and he was shocked. Batman was staring at him through some binoculars. He appeared to be on a motorcycle of some kind. He lowered the binoculars and smiled at Clark triumphantly.

Before Clark could do anything, his phone buzzed again. It was another text message, and he gave a big smile and laughed as he read it:

"_Who said I wasn't a great detective? I've known your real identity since before our meeting on the Daily Planet roof; your cover story wasn't good enough to throw me off. I've eaves dropped on you and Kara talking today, the rest is history. If you need me again, call this number: 666-4521._

_I'm here to let you know that I know who you are too. Now we are even…_

_Steel."_

Clark looked back outside to see Batman give a two finger salute and then ride into the night on his motorcycle. Clark shook his head while still smiling. _'You sure are something…Batman.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Queen Tower:

Lucy was sleeping peacefully in her bed, knowing that she was safe. Inside a box in her closet, a bright blue light had started blinking…

To be continued.


	15. Chapter 14 Artifact

Hey. Here is Chapter 14! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 14: Artifact

Kent Farm:

"Whoa; this Batman guy sounds creepy." Chloe said as she ate her eggs. Clark had told everyone about his adventure with Batman last night, and they were definitely impressed.

"He seemed that way at first, but in the end he turned out to be a good ally. I never would have survived, or bring back Brainiac 5, without him." Clark replied gratefully. "Did you find out who he really was?" Kara asked.

Clark hesitated for a second. "No; I never got the chance. But even if I did, I wouldn't tell." He hoped that that would convince them. "Why wouldn't you tell us…if you knew that is?" Chloe asked.

"It would be considered betrayal." He answered. "Anyway, I'm sure glad we won't have to worry about Mannheim anymore; especially Lucy! She'll be so relieved." Chloe said. "Yeah, but what's the deal about this scarab that Mannheim wanted so much?" Kara questioned.

"I'll talk to Lucy about that; I'm paying her a visit at Oliver's apartment in a little bit." Brainiac 5 cleared his throat at that moment. "Clark, listen; I'm so sorry I yelled at you. I shouldn't have overreacted and flew off! If I hadn't, you wouldn't have gone through all that trouble." He confessed.

Clark smiled warmly. "I'm the one that should be sorry; I should have tried harder to convince you that I don't think of you as a potential threat. I guess we both had a bad time that night." Brainiac 5 smiled back from his words as he and everyone else continued to eat.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

Clark had just arrived to see Oliver practicing his archery. "Gotten any bull's eyes today?" Clark asked amusingly. Oliver turned around and smiled back. "Yeah…10 in a row to be exact." He then walked over to Clark.

"So, what brings you here?" Clark immediately told him about last night. Oliver looked intrigued. "Batman, huh? Sounds like a guy I'd like to recruit." He said. "I think you two would get along great." _'Because you two are more alike than you think.'_

Before Clark could continue, Oliver made a statement of his own. "You weren't the only one having fun last night." "What do you mean?" Clark asked. Oliver looked at the room where his gear was.

"Dinah and I intercepted a few Luthorcorp supply trucks and blew them to bits; don't worry, no one was killed." He added when he saw the surprise look on Clark's face. "We made sure all the employees were out of the way before we took 'em out."

Clark felt suspicious; the tone in Oliver's voice seemed _too_ satisfying. "Would this latest stunt of yours had anything to do with those recent robberies from your company?" Oliver sighed.

"Nothing gets by you, does it?" Clark remained silent. "Alright; I suspected Lucas was behind the Queen Industries robberies. He showed up at the press conference not long after these robberies had started; something was up, I could feel it."

Clark listened as Oliver continued. "I had a gut feeling he wasn't going to give up on my company so easily; his failed cyborg was just a first attempt." "Do you know why Lucas wants Queen Industries?" Clark inquired.

"No, but I don't think he wants it for extra storage space." He replied sarcastically. "Is that the only reason you took down those trucks…payback for the robberies?" Clark asked. "Yes, it is; what other reason would I have?" Before Clark could reply, Lois walked out of the elevator.

"Hey boys, I hope I'm not interrupting precious guy time." Clark and Oliver shook their heads. "No, we were just talking about Mannheim's arrest." Clark lied. Lois smiled. "I see you've already heard the news. I've just told Lucy, and she's so glad no one's after her anymore."

"I'm sure she is." Oliver said. Clark then moved towards the elevator. "Hey Lois, great news; Brian was found and brought back home last night." Lois smiled even more. "I know; Chloe called me this morning and told me he was fine. I'm sure they are happy being back together again." Clark nodded in agreement.

"Listen, I'm going to talk to Lucy alone for a few minutes. Do you mind, Lois?" "No Smallville, go ahead. I'll be down there in a bit to help her pack up." Clark nodded a headed down the elevator.

When Clark had left, Lois hugged Oliver. "What was that for?" He asked, stunned. "For looking after my little sister and keeping her safe. I hope she didn't cause you any trouble." Oliver laughed a bit.

"Nope, she was glad to be somewhere where Mannheim can't get his hands on her." "That reminds me, do you know why he was after her?" Oliver shrugged. "No idea; but I guess that doesn't matter since Mannheim's behind bars now." Lois nodded.

When Clark arrived in Lucy's bedroom, he found her packing one of her bags. She smiled when she saw Clark. "Hi Clark. How are you?" "I'm fine, and you?" "Better than ever now that Mannheim's not on my tail anymore."

Clark walked up to her. "Lucy, can I ask you something?" Lucy nodded. "What do you know about Kha-Ef-Re or the scarab on his tomb?" Lucy froze at that name. Clark saw the surprise on her face. "Where did you hear that name?" She asked nervously.

"That's not important, just tell me what you know." Lucy hesitated a bit. "I don't know anything, sorry." She answered. Clark knew that Lucy didn't want to talk about, but he didn't know why. "Why won't you tell me, Lucy?" Clark asked.

"I told you, I don't know anything about it! Can we please drop the subject!" Lucy said, raising her voice. Clark then got right to the point. "I know why Mannheim's been after you." Lucy stared at him again, with her eyes widened. "You do?" She whispered.

Clark nodded. "He wanted the blue scarab of Kha-Ef-Re, and he knew you had it. You still have it, don't you?" Lucy sat down on the bed, not knowing what to say. Clark sat down next to her. Lucy didn't speak again for a few minutes. When she finally answered, she sounded scared again.

"How do you know all that?" Clark took a moment to answer. "The person who brought down Mannheim paid me a visit and told me that he got the answers from him. He felt I should know." Lucy didn't reply back.

"Lucy, you knew Mannheim wanted the scarab the whole time, didn't you?" Clark questioned. Slowly, Lucy nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you or the others, but I promised someone I wouldn't speak of it." "Who did you promise? And how did you get the scarab in the first place?"

Lucy shook her head. "I don't want to break that promise…ow." She said as she rubbed her back. "Are you okay?" Clark asked. Lucy nodded. "I'm fine; probably just a lumpy mattress." She said, patting the bed.

Clark got back to his original question. "Why would you promise not to tell about the scarab?" "Because talking about it could put my life in danger." She answered. Clark chuckled. "Mannheim and all of Intergang have been arrested; your life is no longer in danger. I think it's safe to talk about it now, don't you think?"

Lucy thought about it for a little while. Finally, she nodded. "I guess it couldn't hurt to tell you. But if I tell you, you must do something for me in return." Clark was surprised by her reaction, but agreed. "That seems fair. Whatever it is you want me to do, I'll do it." Lucy smiled. "Thanks."

After rubbing her back again, Lucy began to talk. "It started on the day I was leaving Smallville 4 years ago; you know, after the whole Marcus Becker affair?" Clark nodded; he never forgot that day. Lucy continued.

"Well, on my way to the airport, I accidentally bumped into a girl named Danielle Garrett. She was a lot older than me. She dropped her bag when she ran into me, it's contents spilling everywhere. On the ground, I saw a pretty blue scarab, and I picked it up. But Danielle quickly took it back."

Clark listened carefully as Lucy went on. "She told me not to touch it, and I apologized. Danielle quickly apologized herself saying she shouldn't be so mean. I asked her what the deal was about the scarab, and she looked really uncomfortable talking about it."

"Like you were?" Clark asked. Lucy nodded. "Anyway, after calming down a bit, Danielle told me the story. Like you just said, it came from the tomb of Pharaoh Kha-Ef-Re. It was found, and brought back here, by her grandfather, Daniel Garrett."

Lucy seemed more comfortable talking about it now as she went on. "He was an archeologist and loved collecting priceless artifacts. The scarab was his most precious find ever. According to legend, the scarab gave Kha-Ef-Re incredible powers to protect his followers from all evil. When he was buried in his tomb, the scarab was placed on top."

"When did he find it?" Clark asked. "Danielle said her grandfather found it in August of 1939 and kept it ever since. However, he died a few days before I met Danielle and said his dying wish was that the scarab be finally displayed in a museum for the rest of the world to marvel at."

"That sounds like a good wish." "It was. Danielle and her dad came here that day to take the scarab to the Metropolis museum for display. Danielle was told to hold the scarab while her dad went to get the rental car they would be using. However, when her cell phone rang and she picked it up, everything began to fall apart." Lucy then looked sad.

"What happened?" Clark asked. "Well, she was talking to her dad on the phone and the conversation was intense. Danielle looked frightened by something; she almost went pale. When she hung up, she immediately gave me the scarab and told me to not lose it any cost or tell anyone about it."

"Why did Danielle do that?" Clark questioned further, growing more concerned. Lucy shivered a bit. "I didn't know, at least not at first. Danielle just said that she and her dad were in trouble and that they were going into hiding for a while. She said it wasn't safe for them to have the scarab."

Clark felt more concerned as the tale continued. "I was so scared for her, so I gave her some of the money I took from Lex. She didn't want it at first, but she quickly thanked me and took the money before running off. I never saw her or heard from her again." Lucy said. Clark felt very bad about Danielle and her dad at that moment.

"After that scene, I stuffed the scarab in my bag and walked through the airport. I've been in hiding ever since…at least until Mannheim's men started coming after me." "Mannheim somehow knew that Danielle and her dad were arriving here with the scarab that day, and when her dad found out Mannheim was after it he warned Danielle about it." Clark guessed.

"That's what I thought too not long after Intergang started chasing me." Lucy said miserably. "But how did Mannheim know that Danielle and her dad had the scarab and knew where they were arriving that day? And how did he know that you have it?" Clark asked. Lucy shrugged.

"I have no idea how Mannheim knew where and when Danielle and her dad showed up, nor do I know how he knew they had the scarab. As for me, one of his men saw my whole conversation with Danielle from inside the airport lobby. He saw me put the scarab in my bag and got the word out to Mannheim. They told me so when they found me in Berlin." Lucy finished.

Clark nodded, understanding it all now. "Well, like I said, Mannheim is no longer a threat to you or the Garretts. If we can find them, we can tell them it's all over." Lucy nodded. "That's what I was thinking. And since Mannheim's arrest has been announced, Danielle and her dad could be coming out from hiding anytime now."

"I hope they are alright." Clark said. "Me too, and that's the favor I want you to do." Clark raised an eyebrow. "Which is?" "I want you and Lois to find the Garretts and tell them that the scarab is safe and that it will be put into a museum at once." Clark smiled and nodded. "I think we can do that." Lucy smiled again.

"May I see the scarab?" Clark asked curiously. "Sure; it's in a box in my closet." Lucy then walked to her closet and opened it. She quickly found a small brown box with a lock on it, only to find that it was broken off. "Oh no." Lucy said softly after she opened it. Clark got up instantly. "What's wrong?" Lucy showed him the broken box.

"The box has been forced open, and the scarab is gone!" She said in alarm. Clark didn't like this at all. "Was it in the box when you last saw it?" He asked. Lucy nodded quickly. "I locked it in here before I went to bed last night! I placed it in my closet, out of sight. I don't understand what happened to it." Lucy continued to panic.

"No one broke in, right?" Clark asked to be sure. "No; it's been quiet all night. Everything was exactly as it was when I woke up." Lucy then felt more pain from her back, and she fell on her knees. "My back…the pain's getting worse! I don't know what the problem is!" She said frustratingly.

Clark helped Lucy back on the bed. "May I feel your back to see where exactly it hurts?" He asked. "Clark, you're an intern reporter, not a doctor!" Lucy said painfully. "Lucy, I could massage that spot to help ease the pain." Lucy nodded again. "Alright, just be careful."

Clark then searched for the source of the pain with his x-ray vision, and what he saw shocked him immensely. He then pressed his hand, gently, on the spot where he thought might be causing the pain. Sure enough, Lucy yelped the instant Clark touched it. "I said be careful!" She yelled. "Sorry; I guess I found the place where it hurts most."

"No kidding." Lucy replied sarcastically. Clark, still shocked by what he saw _inside _Lucy's back, began to lift up the back of Lucy's shirt. "What are you doing?!" Lucy asked indignantly. "I have to see if there is any visible bruise or cut on it."

What Clark found on her back was neither a bruise or a cut, and this proved that what he saw in his x-ray vision was correct: The scarab was inside Lucy's back and attached itself to her spine. On the outside, it looked like a horrible blue lump. Clark was horrorstruck by this.

He was silent for a few minutes, not knowing the slightest idea of what's going on. Lucy, noticing Clark's silence, spoke up. "Clark, do you see anything?" Clark respond right away. "Uh, Lucy…I think we need to get you to the hospital right away." From hearing that response, Lucy panicked even more.

"Why? What do you see?" She asked in a scared voice. "I don't think you want to know." Lucy got angry, got on her feet again, and faced Clark. "Clark, tell me! I'm not a little girl anymore!" Lucy yelled. Clark, dreading how she would react, made the following statement as he got up too.

"Lucy…I think I know where the scarab went." Lucy was puzzled, not getting it at first. After studying the look on Clark's face, however, she began to feel terrified. "No…don't tell me it's _there_!" She immediately ran into the bathroom to look at reflection of her back in the mirror.

Clark then heard a horrible scream from the bathroom. He knew that Lucy saw that the scarab had buried itself in her back. She didn't come out, though Clark did hear her starting to cry.

A few minutes later, Lois and Oliver came into the room, looking extremely worried. "Clark, what's happened? We heard Lucy screaming from upstairs! Is she alright?" Lois asked in concern. "Is she hurt?" Oliver asked. Clark didn't know if he should tell them or not.

"Right now…I don't know what's happened." Neither of them understood what he meant. "What the hell are you talking about? What's wrong with my sister?" Lois demanded. Just then, they heard Lucy scream again. Lois instantly ran into the bathroom with Clark and Oliver right behind her.

"Lucy! Are you alright?!" Lois yelled as she entered the bathroom. What she saw nearly made her faint. A slim figure kneeled on the floor wearing a black and blue suit of some sort, and it looked like it had a big blue bug on the back.

The figure slowly got up and panted heavily, and judging from the sound of the person that was breathing, it had to be a girl. Clark and Oliver were shocked by the figure as well. "_Lucy?_" Lois gasped.

Lucy looked at Lois with the yellow eyes that came from the suit. _"Unit Khaji Da online. Beginning primary objective."_ It was Lucy's voice, and at the same time, it wasn't. Her voice sounded possessed. Lois, Clark, and Oliver had no idea what she was talking about.

"What's happened to you, Lucy? What primary objective?" Lois asked hysterically. Lucy turned to the wall behind her. _"Primary objective: Planetary Takeover."_ The three of them were shocked even more to hear that.

They saw her arms become what looked like cannons and destroyed the wall in a huge blue blast. When the dust cleared, all four of them saw the outside through the hole. As the energy cannons became normal arms again, it sprang cybernetic wings.

Lucy, trapped in the strange armor, flew off into the blue sky above without another word. "LUCY!!" Lois screamed as she saw her sister fly off to who knows where. She began to cry hard on Clark's shoulder and held him tight. Clark held her back, while still sad and scared about the whole thing.

He and Oliver looked at each other. Oliver gave him a look that told him that Clark had better start explaining. Clark nodded and, as they stood there, couldn't believe that things had gotten worse when they were just getting better.

To be continued.


	16. Chapter 15 Control

Welcome back! Here is Chapter 15! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 15: Control

Luthorcorp CEO Office:

Lucas threw down his morning edition of the Daily Planet; he was angry again. He couldn't believe that not only Mannheim got himself and his gang arrested, but they still have not found Lucy Lane or the scarab.

Lucas knew that his master would not like this if he found out. At that moment, the phone rang and Lucas picked up. "Hello?" He asked, trying to sound calm._ "I see you have control over your temper this time, Lucas."_ Lucas lost his voice as he heard his master talking on the other line.

"Yes, thank you for noticing." He gulped several times; he didn't know if should tell him or not. _"I've heard that Mannheim has been arrested by the local authorities last night."_ The young Luthor started to lose all color as he heard this. _"I am not pleased about this development, Lucas…not at all. You promised me that Mannheim would find that human girl and retrieve the scarab."_

Lucas hesitated, trying to come up with an excuse for his angry master. "I'm sorry; this was something I didn't anticipate. I'll find her and the scarab…" But the mysterious villain interrupted him.

"_It is clear that I cannot trust you with this task. You continue getting the subjects ready for New Years; I'll send someone else to find the girl and bring me the scarab."_ "Sir, give me another chance! I swear I will…"

But just then, Lucas heard an explosion nearby. He looked outside and saw thick, black smoke coming from Queen Tower. "What the hell?" Quickly, he took out his camera phone from his pocket and took a closer look.

He saw a blue/black figure emerge from the blown apart wall of the building. Lucas managed to take a picture before the figure flew off. He then looked at the picture and appeared stunned. _"Lucas, what was that noise I heard in the background?"_

Lucas smiled. "I just found something that might cheer you up."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

Lois and Oliver stood there, awestruck. Clark had told them everything he learned from Lucy about the scarab. "She _knew_ why Mannheim was chasing after her for weeks and didn't tell us?!" Lois said, outraged.

"She promised Danielle that she wouldn't say anything. Don't forget; it wouldn't be the first time Lucy lied to us." Clark replied. "Okay, I'll buy that. But how the hell can you explain what just happened to her before she flew off?!"

Clark shrugged, looking sad. "I can't; all I know is that the scarab buried itself inside Lucy's back, latched itself to her spine, and then she was covered in that body armor we just saw."

"It's obvious that scarab is not just some ancient Egyptian relic. And whatever it is, it's planning to take over Earth…with Lucy as it's host." Lois turned to Oliver. "That damn bug is NOT using my sister as a tool for world domination! We've got to find her!"

"We will." Oliver assured. "Listen, I'm going to tell Chloe and Brian what happened. Let me know if something comes up about Lucy." Oliver and Lois nodded as Clark left.

Oliver then walked over to his desk computer. "What are you doing?" Lois asked. "I'm going to use one of my companies' satellites to find Lucy. If she is globe trotting, flying first class, we'll know."

His screen then shown a satellite map looking over Earth. "Even if we find Lucy, can you stop her? You saw what that thing that's possessed her did to your bathroom wall! Who knows what else it can do?" Lois panicked. Oliver nodded.

"Your right; I doubt any of my gear can do anything to slow her down, let alone stop her. So, I'll just call one or two of my teammates to do the job." Lois was lost. "Teammates?" Oliver looked at her, embarrassed.

"Did I tell you that I lead a team of people with super powers?" Lois' eyes widened and her jaw fell open. "Not on any date we ever had!" Oliver chuckled nervously. "Well, now you know."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Isis Foundation:

Clark picked up Kara from the Talon and they met up with Chloe and Brainiac 5 at the computer room. After Clark told them everything that happened to Lucy, they all looked shocked.

"Oh my god! I can't believe all that!" Chloe said worriedly. "Neither can I; poor Lucy. Is she really going to try to take over Earth?" Kara asked. "It's not Lucy; it's the scarab. It's taken control of her and somehow, we got to free her before anyone gets killed." Clark replied.

"But how? We don't know where she is or what exactly that scarab is." Chloe said. "Both Batman and Lucy told me that the scarab was originally used by Kha-Ef-Re. See if any info about him tells about the scarab's abilities." Clark instructed.

While Chloe searched through historical records about the Pharaoh, Clark noticed that Brainiac 5 hadn't said anything after hearing the news. He was silent and just watched Chloe. Clark was thinking that he may know something.

Before he could ask, Chloe got everyone's attention. "Bad news; the records don't say anything about the scarab's powers or anything! It just says that Kha-Ef-Re used it to protect his home from evil." "That doesn't help." Kara said.

"No, but I think someone else here can." Clark said as he turned to Brainiac 5. He stared back at Clark. "What?" He asked. "Brainiac 5, you haven't said a word this whole time. You know what's going on, don't you?" Chloe and Kara then looked at him too.

"Do you?" Kara asked. Brainiac 5 still hesitated. "Brainiac 5, if you know something about that scarab, now would be a good time to tell." Chloe suggested strongly. Having no choice, Brainiac 5 nodded.

"Alright; here's what I know. That scarab is not from Earth; it was created by an alien race called "The Reach"." All three looked shocked. "That scarab is alien technology?" Kara asked, stunned. Her boyfriend nodded again.

"The Reach are aliens that conquer planets for profit. Millennia ago, the Reach were at war with an intergalactic police force known as "The Green Lantern Corps". Their war ended in a draw and formed a treaty that banned the Reach from taking over any other world."

"What does that have to do with the scarab?" Chloe asked. "Since the Reach could no longer conquer worlds "openly", they found a more subtle way of doing it. They made the scarabs as "secret weapons" to take planets for them."

"_Scarabs?_ You mean there's more than one?" Clark asked. "Yes; they are a Hive-mind…meaning that they think and act as one. The Reach would send a scarab to each planet they want to take over.

"When the time was right, the scarabs on those worlds would activate and take the closest person as its host, overriding the host's mind with their programming and turning them into weapons of mass destruction. When the job was done, the scarabs would call for its masters to come and take those worlds."

Clark, Kara, and Chloe were horrorstruck by this revelation. "So that's what's happening to Lucy? She's become an unwilling weapon for the Reach?" Kara asked in shock. "I'm afraid so." Clark wasn't happy about this at all.

"Before Lucy left, she said "Unit Khaji Da online." What does Khaji Da mean?" He asked. "Khaji is a Reach term for "infiltrator", the Da is that scarab's serial number; all the scarabs have one. This scarab must have been sent here centuries ago."

"Why didn't you tell me the truth about the scarab after Batman told us about it? I could have taken the scarab before it took Lucy!" Clark demanded furiously. Brainiac 5 shuddered. "I'm sorry; I didn't think things would turn out this way!"

Clark stared at Brainiac 5 curiously. "What do you mean by that?" He asked. Brainiac 5 exhaled. "I knew that the scarab was Reach technology, but I didn't know it would take Lucy as it's host; that's not what happened in the data tapes in my time."

"What are you talking about?" Kara asked. Brainiac 5 scowled. "I studied the official records thoroughly. I knew what was going to happen in this time after the damage Lex and my ancestor inflicted."

"Such as?" Chloe inquired. "I knew that Clark would rescue you from jail and Oliver coming to clear your name, and that Clark would join up with Oliver's team to fight Lucas Luthor, and Clark working at the Daily Planet. Those events were the only ones unaffected by my arrival in this time."

"What events have been affected by you?" Clark asked, starting to feel angry by this sudden confession. "In the records, Kara never escaped from the Phantom Zone, you never rebuilt your fortress, that _Parasite_ creature never existed, and the scarab never took over Lucy."

The three continued to listen while growing angrier by the lack of info. "If I hadn't come here, Mannheim would have found Lucy at Oliver's apartment and found a way to kidnap here and take the scarab. And if Kara had never been freed from the Phantom Zone, Parasite would never have been created and no one would have been able to save Clark from Zor-El's assault."

Kara stopped him right there. "Wait…you _knew_ my father and Brainiac were going to go after Clark?" She demanded. Brainiac 5 shuddered. "Well…yes." he responded. All three of them looked at him in complete shock.

"Why didn't you warn me or Kara about this months ago?!" Clark asked angrily. "I never planned to. My mission was to warn and prepare you for the new evil and the threat it poses; I never intended to give you more information than you needed."

"The return of Zor-El and Brainiac was something that was, I believe, _worth_ mentioning!" Chloe yelled. Brainiac 5 shut his eyes and lowered his head. "I guess you're right; I'm sorry from keeping it from you. And besides, they were both stopped." Brainiac 5 said.

"Maybe, but you still should've told us." Kara said harshly. Brainiac 5 looked away, looking ashamed. "I'm so sorry Kara. I don't want you to hate me." "I don't _hate_ you; I'm just upset that you didn't tell me or my cousin about this sooner." "So are we." Clark said, referring to himself and Chloe.

Brainiac 5 nodded. "What can I do to earn your forgiveness?" He asked all three of them, not just Kara. "Well, maybe you can tell us how this new bad guy is going to take over Earth on New Years." Chloe suggested.

Brainiac 5 shook his head. "I told you already; I don't know how he plans to do it. The details about his plan were never recorded in the data tapes. All I know is that Earth will be his on New Years unless he is stopped."

"Fine, then help us find a way to free Lucy from the scarab's control." Clark commanded. Brainiac 5 nodded while smiling. "That, I believe I _can_ do." "Since the scarab is a machine, can you hack into it and shut down it's functions, like you did to Brainiac?" Clark asked.

At this question, Brainiac 5 frowned. "That would not be a wise approach. When I hacked into Brainiac, he felt a huge shock as I shut down his powers. If I did the same thing to the scarab, it will feel a shock also. And since Lucy is one with it, she will feel it too."

Clark and the girls were shocked. "We can't hurt Lucy while trying to help her!" Kara exclaimed. Clark agreed. "We won't; is there any way to get the scarab off of Lucy _without _hurting her?" Clark asked. Once again, Brainiac 5 said no.

"I'm afraid not; records showed that there were many attempts to remove the scarabs from their hosts without killing the hosts themselves…none were successful." "You mean they couldn't get the scarabs out?" Chloe asked.

"No; I mean there is no way to extract a Reach scarab without killing the host." Clark and the girls were horrorstruck again. "Then how can we…?" Kara asked. Brainiac 5, at that moment, got an idea.

"Hold on, I just remembered something." "What is it?" Clark asked, curious. "The shock only occurs when I _shut down_ a computer's functions, but not if the computer is being reprogrammed instead." Clark, Kara, and Chloe were looking hopeful now.

"If I can get close enough, I can reprogram the scarab to not conquer Earth and not use Lucy as a host. And then, it would separate itself from Lucy, freeing her!" They all smiled at this.

"Are you sure that it will work? Remember, this is my cousin we're talking about." Chloe asked. Brainiac 5 regained his confidence. "I'm completely positive that it will work. We just have to find her first." "I'll get to work right away." Chloe said as she turned to her computer again.

But before she struck the first key, Clark's cell phone rang. "Hello?" "It's Oliver; suit up Steel. Lucy has been found." Clark looked alert. "Where? And is Lois listening?" "No, she isn't; she went back to work at the Daily Planet a few minutes ago. I told her I'd let her know when we have Lucy back; she doesn't know I found her sister."

"Good move. Where is Lucy?" "Not anywhere near Metropolis; she just landed near Coast City, California. You're the strongest guy we got; go after Lucy and try to knock some sense into her."

"Listen Oliver, I have a plan to free Lucy from the scarab. Hopefully it will work." "I hope so too, let me know if you got her under control. Later." Oliver then hung up. Clark then turned to the others.

"Oliver just located Lucy in Coast City; Brainiac 5 and I are going there to free her from the scarab." "That's where Jimmy and I surfed last year." Kara stated. "Brainiac 5 and I aren't going there to surf, Kara." Clark said flatly.

"I know. But Clark, I'm going with you to help." Clark gave her a stern look. "It'll get messy over there, and I don't want you in the crossfire." He told her. Kara was not happy about his suggestion. "Clark, when are you going to let me fight evil like you do?" She asked heatedly.

"I know how to handle myself in a fight and I have all the powers a yellow sun-powered Kryptonian can have! Let me come this time!" Kara demanded. Clark shook his head. "I told you before, this isn't a game. You may be as strong as me, but you don't have my experience of battling bad guys on a daily basis."

"I can learn by being with you." She countered. Clark wouldn't have it. "Sorry Kara; I just don't believe you're ready for this. You stay with Chloe and make sure…nothing happens to her."

Clark gave her a look that told her that his decision was final, and she stopped. Satisfied, Clark turned to Brainiac 5. "Does your force field belt work again?" Brainiac 5 shook his head.

"No, at least not a full capacity. It's power was completely drained by Parasite, and its internal generator will take a least two months to recharge." "In that case, you better stay out of the line of fire and wait for the chance to reprogram the scarab." Clark suggested. "Got it."

Clark then turned back at the girls. "We'll let you know when Lucy is free." Chloe and Kara nodded as Clark and Brainiac 5 walked out. Kara was still fuming about Clark's decision. Chloe noticed and tried to comfort her. "Don't worry; Clark's always very protective about his family. Maybe he'll let you tag alone next time."

Kara nodded silently as she walked out into the Isis lobby. "I'll be right back; I just need to get some water to cool off." Chloe understood. When Kara was alone in the lobby, she took out her cell phone and speed dialed a number. A few seconds later, the person she called picked up.

"It's me. Is it ready yet?" She asked. A moment later, she smiled. "Awesome! I'll pick it up right away. Thanks a lot." She then hung up and super sped away.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

Two men were talking in the darkness. One of them, a big one, was sitting one a throne like chair. The other one, who was also bulky, kneeled before him.

"Do you understand your assignment?" The one that was sitting asked. The other one nodded. "Of course, master. I have all I need from that photograph Lucas Luthor showed us, and I have located the girl. I am confident I will find her and deliver the scarab to you."

The big man nodded. "Good. Make sure you do not fail. The consequences of failure will be…severe." He said while his eyes glowed a burning red.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Outer Space:

A space vessel had just dropped out of warp space, and appeared badly damaged. The pilot of the ship couldn't believe this was happening. The controls sparked and burst into flame in front of him as the ship descended to a planet the pilot knew:

"Earth."

To be continued.


	17. Chapter 16 Chosen

Hey! I'm sorry for the delay; I just couldn't find time to write it! Here is the next action packed chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 16: Chosen

Ferris Air:

"You sure are a stubborn one, aren't you Highball?" said an young woman with long, dark hair, brown eyes and wore a business suit. She was walking outside on the airfield with one of her employees, who was flirting with her…again. The young man that walked with her chuckled.

"Hey, I'm not a quitter, Carol." The man had short brown hair, brown eyes, and dressed in a military uniform with a brown bomber jacket. "Hal Jordan, you know that I'm the boss and you're an employee; we can't be anything more than that." Carol said.

Hal shrugged. "Thought I'd give it another shot anyway." Carol, though serious she was, smiled. "I'm sure some lucky girl out there would return the favor." Carol checked her watch. "Well, I have to go for lunch; meet me back in my office in an hour for the next prototype jet I want you to test out."

"Sure thing…boss." Hal replied with a quick wink. Carol sighed as she walked away. Hal just stood there looking at the sky, thinking of the next plane he would get to fly. Hal Jordan loved to fly, ever since he saw his father, Captain Martin Jordan, fly in a jet fighter years ago.

Hal frowned as he thought of his father. He missed him very much; he never quite recovered from the accident that took his father's life. Ever since that day, Hal had become very distant with the rest of his family.

Flying helped Hal forget his problems and relieved him of his fears. He continued to stare into the blue sky when he caught a glimpse of something falling from above the clouds. It was big and covered in fire.

"A meteor?" Hal asked himself as he watched it descend to the surface. It was falling very quickly. For some reason, Hal kept watching it for the next several seconds. Hal lost sight of it as it finally impacted a long way from his location.

Hal shook his head, thinking it was stupid to keep standing around when there was nothing to watch, but then he saw something else in the sky. It flew through the air so fast that Hal barely saw it. It looked like a blue/black blur, and it was heading for Coast City.

'_First a huge meteor, now that…thing? What was it, some kind of new plane?'_ Hal shrugged that off too as he walked away, not knowing that one of the objects he just saw will change his life forever.

Coast City:

Lucy, still a prisoner in the scarab armor, landed on top of one of the tallest buildings in Coast City. She scanned everywhere and everything within eyesight. _"Current location suitable to begin primary objective."_

Lucy then activated her energy cannons again and began firing them at everything that moved, from vehicles to even people. The blasts tore the streets apart, sent cars and trucks through nearby buildings, and injuring civilians.

Nobody understood what was happening as they ran for their lives. They were screaming and panicking, trying desperately to hide from their mysterious attacker. Lucy's assaults were relentless as she continued firing her weapons.

Unfortunately, a little girl tripped as she ran with her mother and was hurt. "Mommy!" the girl yelled. "Marie!" yelled the girl's mother as she went back for her. But one of the blasts sent a large fire truck flying toward the girl.

Marie was too scared to move and her mother, who grabbed her then, knew that they wouldn't get away in time. It looked like they were going to die. That is, if it weren't for the timely arrival of a certain red and blue clad man who appeared and caught the fire truck just in time.

Steel carefully put the heavy vehicle down a couple of yards away. Marie and her mother couldn't believe what just happened. "Are you two alright?" Steel asked as he helped the pair up. "Yes, thank you so much! Thank you!" cried the mother as she and her daughter ran to safety.

Steel then looked up and saw there Lucy was attacking from. Just then, Brainiac 5 flew down and landed beside Steel. "Lucy is being merciless! We have to stop her before anyone else gets hurt!" Steel yelled over all the destruction and the screams.

"I agree!" Brainiac 5 replied. He then flew to the top of the building Lucy was on, while Steel super sped through the building on the stairs. The instant Steel and Brainiac 5 arrived, Steel yelled to get Lucy's attention.

"Lucy, stop this! You're hurting innocent people!" Lucy ceased firing her cannons and turned to the pair. "You've got to listen to us! We're trying to help you!" Brainiac 5 yelled. _"Two enemies attempting to interrupt primary objective. Unit Khaji Da will terminate immediately."_

She then fired her cannons at Steel and Brainiac 5. However, Steel managed to push his friend out of the way just in time before he took the full impact of the attack. The blast flew Steel across several buildings.

He finally stopped as he crashed onto a roof of a thankfully empty penthouse. He rubbed his shoulders; he hadn't been hit that hard since he fought the last phantom. He then jumped from building to the next to get back to Lucy.

Meanwhile, Brainiac 5 was at the mercy of Lucy's cannons. "Lucy, please stop!" he yelled, but Lucy didn't seem to listen. _"Begin termination of enemy."_ Brainiac 5 widened his eyes as the cannons were lighting up for another blast.

Thankfully, Steel knocked the blast away from Brainiac 5 and toward the sky. Lucy turned to see them both once more. "You okay?" Steel asked his future friend. "Yeah, that was close. Thanks." Steel nodded as he stared at Lucy again.

"Listen to me Lucy! That scarab is controlling you; let us help you get it off!" Steel pleaded. Lucy studied Steel. _"Current target survived previous attack. Begin scanning for identification."_ Lucy's eyes then turned green as she, apparently, was scanning Steel.

When her eyes became yellow again, Lucy spoke once more in her cold, emotionless voice. _"Life form identified: Interfering subject is Kryptonian. Home planet: Krypton. Long been destroyed. Subject concluded as survivor."_

Steel was stunned that the scarab could identify life forms and their homes by just a quick scan. _"Research suggests that Earth's yellow sun grants Kryptonians enhanced abilities. Attempting to use extreme armaments to eliminate target."_

Lucy's cannons then became merged into one big cannon. Steel was starting to sweat; he didn't know if he could survive this next attack. "I don't think talking is working, Steel." Brainiac 5 said, afraid as well.

Lucy began to charge her mega cannon. "Get behind me!" Steel yelled at Brainiac 5, who immediately complied. But just as she was about to fire, the air suddenly got a lot colder, and several seconds later, Lucy was trapped inside a block of ice.

Steel and Brainiac 5 didn't understand what had just happened. "What was that?" Steel asked. Before Brainiac 5 could answer, another voice responded. "Oh, just a little something called _freeze breath_."

Steel and Brainiac 5 looked up and saw a young blonde girl floating above them. She wore blue gloves, blue boots, a white one piece jumpsuit which had the legs showing, and blue shades. The girl landed in front of the pair, who were stunned.

One look at the symbol on her chest told Steel everything he needed to know; it was the crest of the House of El. "Kara! What the hell are you doing here?" "Where did you get that costume?" Brainiac 5 asked. Kara smiled as she walked over to them.

"First of all _Steel_, when I'm out here, I'm Power Girl." Kara said with a huge smile. "And second, Oliver made me this…" Steel had cut her off. "_Oliver_ made you join his team?!" Kara, now Power Girl, ignored that question.

"When you taught me super breath a month ago, I learned I can freeze anything with it just by "thinking cold"; you should try it sometime. I thought it would be the safest way to stop Lucy without hurting her while Brainiac 5 reprograms the scarab." she said.

While Brainiac 5 was impressed with Kara, Steel wasn't. "How can you let Oliver convince you to be a part of this?" Kara was about to reply, when the ice that was covering Lucy broke. The trio was surprised how strong the armor made Lucy.

"That armor must've made her super strong; this is going to be a lot tougher than we thought." Kara said. Steel turned to her. "We'll talk about this later; right now, our main priority is freeing Lucy from the scarab."

Lucy scanned Kara right after she broke free. _"A second Kryptonian has been identified; DNA is similar to the first. Preparing to eliminate both enemies."_ Lucy separated her mega cannon and flew up in the air. She reconfigured her arms into the smaller cannons again. Kara wasn't going to let her get the chance.

"I'll get her!" Kara said as she flew up after her. "Kara wait! We don't know what else that thing can do!" Steel yelled. "Kara, be careful!" Brainiac 5 said. When she was level with Lucy, Kara flew straight at her and punched her in the face.

Kara made sure not to hit too hard so that Lucy wouldn't get hurt. Lucy flew back a bit before she struck back at the Kryptonian with a power punch of her own. Kara was stunned by the blow, but she quickly recovered.

"You're strong, but not _quite_ as strong as me and my cousin!" Kara said as she opened the lenses of her shades and fired her heat vision at Lucy. Before the blast hit, Lucy activated an energy bubble to protect herself; Kara's heat vision didn't even scratch it.

"An energy shield? What other surprises do you have?" Kara asked overconfidently as she flew after Lucy again. As if to respond to the question, Lucy made a cannon with her right arm and fired a green energy beam. When it hit Kara, she screamed and fell instantly to the ground.

Shocked, Steel caught her before she hit the concrete. "Are you hurt?" Steel asked. Kara barely moved. "That beam…felt like…kryptonite." Steel and Brainiac 5 were shocked by her answer.

Before they could comprehend what Kara meant, Steel got hit by another green blast from behind…where Lucy had landed. He screamed as he and Kara fell to the ground, weakened. Brainiac 5 was the only one still standing. "What have you done Lucy?" he asked

Lucy immediately responded. _"Both Kryptonians neutralized. Energy beam modified with same radiation as green meteor rocks Unit Khaji Da scanned during flight. Scans proved the meteor rocks were originally pieces of the planet Krypton, now radioactive. _

"_Unit Khaji Da hypothesized that radiation would be harmful to Kryptonians. Modification proved successful."_ All three of them were horrorstruck by this revelation.

"That bug scanned some kryptonitewhile it was flying around!" Kara said weakly. "Yeah, and it used that knowledge against us." Steel said as he lay there, weakened also. Lucy then aimed her cannon at Brainiac 5, who looked terrified. _"Preparing to terminate final enemy."_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ferris Air:

At that time, Hal Jordan was on his way back to talk with Carol about the next plane he would fly. He looked forward to fly again; it had always been his passion. However, he would be flying a different way.

When Hal was about to walk inside the building, he heard a voice; a voice that came from a strange green ring that flew right in front of him. _"Hal Jordan of the planet Earth. You have the ability to overcome great Fear. I am a Power Ring sent to you by the previous Green Lantern of Space Sector 2814."_

Hal didn't understand any of this. "What is going on?! What the hell's a _Green Lantern_?" Hal asked. The ring didn't respond, at least not in the way he wanted it too. The ring projected a green energy field around Hal and carried him away from Ferris Air.

"Hey! Where are you taking me?" Hal demanded. He wasn't scared; just completely confused. Again the ring did not answer as the two of them left to an unknown destination.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Sierra Madres:

The ring and Hal were flying for only few minutes when they descended toward a desert…with what appeared to be to Hal as a damaged craft of some kind. Once they were on ground level in front of the ship, the ring finally dropped it's energy and released Hal.

The ring then flew inside the ship. Hal, overcome with reckless courage, stepped inside to find out what the hell was going on. The ship looked nothing like anything made on Earth, let alone any military base. It was so advanced, but the severity of the damage was too great to overlook.

Just then, Hal heard the ring's voice again…only it sounded more alive, and weak…even dying. "Hal Jordan of the planet Earth…come over here." Hal followed the voice, which came from what appeared to be the cockpit.

What Hal saw, he didn't expect at all. Strapped onto the pilot seat sat a bald, red skinned man wearing a green and black suit of some sort with a green circle with two bars up and down of it. He was badly wounded and bleeding a lot from his head. When he saw Hal, he smiled.

"Come, there is not much…time." The alien said as he coughed. Hal realized that his voice was the same one he heard from the ring that brought him there. "Who are you? Why am I here?" Hal asked fearlessly.

"I am Abin Sur; previous Green Lantern of Space Sector 2814. My ship malfunctioned during my travels and crashed here, the closest planet I could reach. My time was growing short, so I programmed my Power Ring to find a replacement for me."

Hal was amazed as he continued listening. "Why did it choose _me_?" he asked. Abin continued to smile as he coughed again. "Because as it said: You have the ability to overcome great Fear. And, you were the closet candidate to the crash site." Hal was stunned.

"The ring is fueled by the wearer's willpower. Use your willpower to work the ring. Whatever you want the ring to do, it will do it." Abin Sur said.

"What do you want from me?" Abin held out his right hand and in it…his ring. "I want you to take this ring, and this." He reached down his seat with his other hand and pulled up a odd shaped green colored lantern.

"Take this lantern. Use it to recharge your ring when it runs out of power, and recite the Green Lantern Oath." "What oath?" Hal asked. Abin beckoned Hal to come closer, and he was close enough, Abin whispered it in his ear because he was too weak to speak it any louder.

"When the time is right, you will be beckoned to go Oa: Headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps, and the home of their masters…The Guardians of the Universe. There you will be trained to be a great Green Lantern…perhaps the greatest of all."

Hal, unsure of what to think, wasn't afraid. "Hal Jordan, will you take my place as Green Lantern of Sector 2814? Will you protect it, and the rest of the universe, and uphold the laws and responsibilities that you must shoulder?"

Hal stood there in front of the dying alien, thinking. _'Protect the world…and the universe? Sounds tough, but it sounds interesting . What harm could there be?'_ He then took the ring and lantern.

"Abin Sur…I'll gladly take over for you. I promise to do everything I can to protect my home, and the universe." Abin Sur smiled again. "Thank you." Those were his last words before he fell silent…forever.

Hal felt sorrow as he stared at the lifeless body of Abin Sur. A moment later, Hal put on the ring. When he did, the ring glowed and surrounded Hal with green energy once more. When the glow was gone, he found himself wearing a uniform similar to Abin's.

_His_ uniform, however, was a little different. Hal wore a green mask, and wore white gloves. As he stood there, Hal felt the power of his ring coursing through him. He never felt anything like it in his life…and he liked it.

"Heh, I could get used to this…" But before he could say anything else, his ring talked again. _"Warning: Reach technology detected in Coast City. Detecting mass destruction. Suggesting immediate action to neutralize threat."_

Hal looked at his ring, confused. "Reach technology? What's that?" _"The Reach are aliens that conquer planets for profit. Billions of years ago, The Reach were at war with the Green Lantern Corps and were forced into a draw._

"_A treaty was then formed to prevent the Reach from taking over other worlds. However, recent Reach activity suggests that they have found an alternative means of conquest without being noticed."_ Hal smirked.

"Is that so?" He then covered himself in a green aura and floated outside the ship. "Well then…looks like my first mission as "Green Lantern of Sector 2814" is going to happen right on my home turf. Time to go to work!"

Hal Jordan then flew off towards Coast City, where a great battle awaited him.

To be continued.


	18. Chapter 17 Rumble

Hey! Here's more action for ya! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 17: Rumble

Coast City:

"_Preparing to terminate final enemy."_ That was Lucy just said to Brainiac 5 after she successfully, and extremely weakened, Steel and Power Girl. Brainiac 5 stood there in terror as Lucy prepared to fire.

"Lucy…stop!" Steel said, barely able to speak. "Don't do it Lucy!" Power Girl said, also very weak. Lucy did not seem to listen to them at all. They watched as Lucy's cannon powered up and aimed at Brainiac 5's head; he was so scared he couldn't move.

"_Terminate…now."_ Lucy then fired her cannon at Brainiac 5. All three of them thought it was the end for one of their own…that is, if it weren't for one of those last minute miracles.

In the very last second, a strong green energy barrier appeared around Brainiac 5, shielding him from Lucy's blast. Steel, Power Girl, and Brainiac 5 were surprised about the barrier's sudden appearance. They all looked up at the source, including Lucy.

They saw a man in a strange uniform floating in the air with a green aura around him. He landed in front of the other heroes and faced Lucy. "Are you three alright?" the new guy asked. "We're alive, that's the main thing." Brainiac 5 said.

He then turned to see Steel and Power Girl down, looking ill. "You two look like you need medical attention." "We'll be fine. Who are you?" Steel asked. The man smirked. "I'm Green Lantern; new hero in town." he said proudly.

Steel and Power Girl were surprised when he introduced himself. _'Green Lantern? He must be part of that Green Lantern Corps that Brainiac 5 told us about earlier.'_ Steel thought as he looked at the newcomer.

While he was talking, Lucy scanned him. What she said next got Green Lantern's attention. _"Scan complete. Humanoid identified: Green Lantern. Highly dangerous to Unit Khaji Da. Ignoring previous targets to target Green Lantern."_

Green Lantern seemed flattered after hearing the female voice from the armor. "My, I didn't know I was _that_ desirable." He then fired a strong beam from the ring in his hand and hit Lucy hard, sending her flying away.

Before he flew up after her, Steel got up and grabbed his arm. "Wait, don't kill her." Green Lantern seemed confused. "She just tried to kill you all and destroy Coast City; I have to stop her." Power Girl disagreed, along with everyone else.

"You don't understand; there is an innocent girl underneath that armor; the scarab on the back is controlling her. We were trying to free her from it." Power Girl said as she got up too. Green Lantern folded his arms. "How do you plan to free her from that thing?"

"I have the ability to reprogram the scarab and get it to latch itself off of her. I just need an opening." Brainiac 5 said. Green Lantern looked puzzled. "How can you do that?" "Let's just say it's a special talent of mine." Brainiac 5 replied.

Green Lantern nodded. "Alright, let's go." Steel and Power Girl shook their heads. "Power Girl and I were badly weakened by her; we need a little time to get our strength back. I'm Steel, by the way. And our other friend is Brian."

Their new ally nodded. "Glad to make your acquaintance ." Green Lantern turned to Brainiac 5. "C'mon; I'm still new at this, but I think I can carry you with my ring." Brainiac 5 shook his head. "I have my own way of flying." He then floated up into the air, waiting for Green Lantern.

Surprised, Green Lantern joined him in the air. "Alright; let's move!" he said in a voice with an air of command. "Once you guys are strong enough, meet up with us!" Brainiac 5 said to Steel and Power Girl as he and Green Lantern flew after Lucy.

After they left, Steel sighed in frustration. "I know; it stinks that we aren't strong enough to fight again at the moment. But the effects of Lucy's weapon will wear off soon." Steel shook his head. "That's not what's bothering me."

Power Girl looked confused. "Then what is it?" Steel felt embarrassed for saying it. "I'm sick and tired of not being able to fly." Power Girl laughed weakly as they sat down on the roof of the building they were on.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Sierra Madres:

Lucy had just landed in the middle of the desert that Abin Sur's ship crashed earlier, but a little farther away. Green Lantern and Brainiac 5 appeared not long after. "You better get clear; getting her to stay still isn't going to be pretty." Green Lantern instructed Brainiac 5.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Brainiac 5 said as he backed off from the upcoming struggle. Green Lantern and Lucy stared at each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

"So, you want to tango or what?" Green Lantern asked Lucy, acting cocky. Lucy changed her cannons to two energy blades and flew at Green Lantern immediately. The Emerald Warrior barely got his shield up before the blades made contact.

"I'll take that as a _yes_." Green Lantern said as he flew up and fired a green beam from his ring. However, Lucy had put up her energy bubble and deflected the shot. "You're just full of gadgets, aren't you?" Green Lantern said, surprised.

Lucy, after forming her cybernetic wings, flew up after Green Lantern. She then fired her energy cannons at Green Lantern again, who fired back with his ring. When their beams had collided, they pushed their attacks to advance.

Lucy was starting to show some fatigue, while Green Lantern began to sweat. The point where the beams collided exploded and sent both combatants falling back to the ground.

As Green Lantern got back up, Lucy flew to him and slashed his chest with her energy blade. Green Lantern yelled painfully as he staggered backwards. "Damn; I got to be more alert to survive this." he said to himself.

Lucy fired another shot from her cannons, but this time Green Lantern was ready…and had a plan. He flew up again to avoid the blast, and then he created a green energy construct of himself and sent it at Lucy.

Lucy easily destroyed it with an energy blade, but left herself open in the back. Green Lantern, using the construct as a distraction, used his ring to bind Lucy with green strap table. Both her arms and legs were being held tight and Lucy couldn't break free, at least not yet.

"Hey Brian! Now would be a good time to lend a hand!" Green Lantern called out to Brainiac 5, who responded at once. "I'm on it!" He then flew to Lucy and placed his hand over where the scarab was.

"Don't worry Lucy, you'll be free in just a few seconds." Brainiac 5 began reprogramming the scarab to abandon it's original functions. Before he could finish, however, he was hit severely hard by a energy bolt of some sort and collapsed. He was unconscious.

"Brian!" Green Lantern yelled as he looked down at his fallen comrade. He then looked up to see the attacker, and it was unlike anything Green Lantern had seen before. The attacker appeared to be a big, strong brute in strange armor.

He had dark red eyes, long mangy black hair, and carried a strange metal club. His expressions was pure evil. "Who're you? Why did you attack that boy?!" Green Lantern shouted at the stranger.

The bulky man looked at Green Lantern with indifference. "I am Kalibak, and I am here to retrieve a valuable weapon for my master." He then looked down at Lucy, who stopped moving after Brainiac 5 began his work on the scarab.

"As for the _puny_ boy, he was in the way. And so are you!" Kalibak fired another energy bolt from his club at Green Lantern, who couldn't defend himself in time and blasted back several yards.

The attack caused the construct holding down Lucy to vanish, freeing her. With both of the heroes down, Kalibak approached Lucy and smiled. "Yes, soon you will be in my master's hands."

Before the muscle bound brute could pick her up, Kalibak took a full energy blast right in the face and sent him flying a little ways before crashing back down with a loud boom. Kalibak rubbed his smoking face and growled; he was pissed off.

When he looked again, Lucy was on her feet and pointing her cannon at the monster. "I'm not going anywhere, freak! And that latest facial of yours was for attacking my cousin!" Green Lantern was surprised again as he got back up. Lucy's voice didn't sound possessed like it did awhile ago; it sounded…normal.

'_Looks like Lucy is back in control. Brian must've definitely jarred something loose to help release the scarab's hold on her.'_ Green Lantern's smile at this turn of events was short lived as he got a message from his ring.

"_Warning: Power Levels 28.2 percent."_ Green Lantern frowned. "Damn; that last attack took a toll on the ring's power to protect me." He then looked back at Lucy and Kalibak, who were staring each other down.

"How DARE you attack me?! You will pay!!" Kalibak then charged after Lucy with his club, ready for another assault. Lucy then form two long powered up blades and blocked Kalibak's club.

The energy that was covering the blades moved through the club and then directly to Kalibak, shocking him immensely. But despite the shocks, he endured and continued to fight. Lucy quickly discovered that even though the scarab made her several times stronger than a normal person, Kalibak's strength is far greater!

Kalibak pushed his club closer to Lucy, who was now struggling to keep him back. The monster laughed at her attempts. "Pathetic! You cannot match the strength of Kalibak the Cruel!"

"But I believe _we _can!" said a strong voice from behind Kalibak. He turned around to see Steel and Power Girl. The super pair then threw a powerful double uppercut, which sent Kalibak high into the air and back down in another boom filled landing.

Green Lantern and Lucy were glad to see them. "I see you two are back at full strength again." Green Lantern said, glad that help had arrived. Power Girl looked behind Lucy and gasped as she saw Brainiac 5 out cold.

"What happened to Brian?" She asked in alarm. Lucy answered her. "That muscle bound freak attacked him with a blast of some kind, and it looked like it hit him hard; he hasn't gotten back up since."

The Kryptonian cousins were shocked to hear Lucy's normal voice again. "You don't sound possessed anymore! Are you okay?" Steel asked. Lucy nodded. "I think so; I don't remember anything while being controlled by the scarab, but I think something made it let go of my mind and let me be free again."

The three were glad Lucy was herself again, though still inside the scarab's armor. But before they could talk further, Kalibak returned with renewed fury. "Hear me! I'm not leaving without the girl and the scarab! If I have to kill you all to do it, fine by me!!"

"Who is he?" Steel asked Green Lantern. "He calls himself Kalibak, and says he's here to retrieve Lucy for his "master", whoever that is." Not another word was spoken when Kalibak came charging after everyone.

He attacked Steel first with a punch powerful enough to nearly break his jaw. Staggered, Steel's mouth bleed from the blow; Kalibak was definitely strong. Steel retaliated with a punch right in the gut.

Kalibak recoiled from the blow, but did not get a chance to strike again because of a strong kick from Power Girl. "That's for knocking out my boyfriend!" "Stay focused, Power Girl!" Steel yelled back as he locked hands with Kalibak.

The two super powered beings pushed with all their might. Steel was sliding back as Kalibak gained ground. Steel grinded his teeth; he was getting a real workout from this new guy. Kalibak smiled as he gained the upper hand.

Desperate, Steel used a powerful head butt. Kalibak back off and gave Steel the opening he needed for an assault. He punched Kalibak in the gut again, in the face several times, and clamped his hands together to deliver a powerful blow that caused a huge crater to appear when Kalibak hit the ground.

Steel breathed hard after that attack, starting to feel tired again. To his shock, Kalibak got back up ready for more. "It'll take a lot more than that to defeat me!" He shouted.

"Then I'll just give you some pounding of my own!" Power Girl shouted as she launched herself at the brute. She punched him multiple times in the face relentlessly, but Kalibak soon caught one of her fists and threw her down hard.

Kalibak then smashed both his fists into Power Girl's back, which caused her to scream painfully. Kalibak grinned. "You can't beat _me_, little girl!" Power Girl then blasted him with her heat vision, causing him to scream himself.

Afterwards, she kicked him square in the jaw and knocked him down again. Power Girl was breathing hard herself like Steel. But all too soon, Kalibak got back up for another round.

"How much punishment can this guy handle?!" Lucy shouted as she watched, astounded that despite all those power blows, Kalibak continued to fight. "I have no idea, but we have to end this now!" Green Lantern yelled as he created a giant hand from his ring and grabbed Kalibak.

Before he could break free, Green Lantern lifted him up really high and then slammed him back to the ground with another boom. He did this several times to keep the pressure on.

When he threw down Kalibak for the seventh time, Green Lantern's ring gave him another message. _"Warning: Power Levels 12.3 percent."_ He could tell his ring was close to running out of power, and he was pretty tired himself.

Green Lantern was shocked once again as Kalibak got back on his feet, but more slowly this time. The big brute not only was finally showing some injuries, but he gave a look that make you want to pee in your pants.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!" He then fired more bolts from his club at Green Lantern. He fired back with a beam of his own, holding it at bay. Green Lantern didn't know how long he could hold on; he knew his power ring would run dry if he kept this up much longer.

"_Warning: Power Levels 5.8 percent." _Green Lantern snarled as he kept the ring firing. Just when Kalibak was about to win Steel and Power Girl helped by adding their heat vision blasts to aid Green Lantern.

Finally, Lucy joined the party with energy blasts from both her cannons. The combined attacks quickly overwhelmed Kalibak's club and hit him harder than ever. The resulting explosion was massive, causing everyone to be blown away.

It could be seen from far away, including the residents of Coast City, wondering what the hell was going on. Back at the desert, the smoke cleared and everyone was struggling to get back up.

Steel and Power Girl were battered, bruised, and tired. Their costumes were a little torn up too, but they still had their shades on. Green Lantern didn't look much better. Lucy, thanks to the armor the scarab provided, didn't receive much damage.

They looked behind them and saw that Brainiac 5 wasn't hurt; he was right behind the group when they fired at Kalibak. Speaking of the brute, from the remaining smoke and rubble, Kalibak got back up yet again.

Everyone was horrorstruck; even after their combined assault, it still wasn't enough to knock him down for the count. "Dammit! What does it take to beat this guy?!" Green Lantern shouted in frustration.

"I wish I knew." Steel said exhaustingly. Kalibak was shaking from the combined attack as he stood. He was finally breathing hard, but still refused to give up. "I'm not…leaving…without…the scarab!" he said btw breaths.

"What do you want with the scarab?" Power Girl shouted, in spite of her tiredness. "That is _none_ of your business, girl! Like I said, I'll kill you all to get it!" He charged after them once more.

Steel and Power Girl were too worn out to go another round, Green Lantern's ring was almost out of power, and Lucy didn't know if the scarab had any weapons powerful enough to beat him. Needless to say, things were looking pretty bad.

Steel summoned all his remaining strength for one last punch when Kalibak was close enough. Before they could trade blows once more, however, Kalibak vanished in a flash of light. Steel nearly stumbled by Kalibak's sudden disappearance.

The group was surprised by this turn of events. "What happened to the monster?" Lucy asked. "He just…vanished into thin air." Steel said. "Do you think he's gone…permanently?" Power Girl asked.

"I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of Kalibak." Green Lantern said as the group walked over to Brainiac 5. Power Girl picked him up, and x-rayed him. "He doesn't have any broken bones or anything. I think he's going to be alright."

Steel was glad to hear that. Just then, everyone saw the armor around Lucy began to retract, showing Lucy herself once more. Then the scarab painfully removed itself from Lucy's back, who screamed painfully in the process.

When the scarab had fully exited her body, Lucy fell unconscious too. While Steel was picking her up, the scarab spoke. _"Unit Khaji Da disconnected from host. Begin search for safe location for repairs and choose more compatible host for new primary objective: Planetary Protection."_

The scarab then flew away in the distance. Steel, Power Girl, and Green Lantern were surprised by what the scarab said. "Looks like Brian succeeded. Is Lucy going to be alright?" Power Girl asked.

"I think so; I see no damage in or out." Steel replied as he x-rayed her. Both Kryptonians then turned to Green Lantern. "Thank you Green Lantern; we owe you a lot for helping us out." Steel said.

Green Lantern laughed. "Hey, I'm just doing my job. Glad I was able to put things right." he replied. "Would you be interested in working with the rest of our team?" Power Girl asked. Green Lantern raised an eyebrow.

"You mean there's more of you?" he asked. "You could say that." Steel said vaguely. Green Lantern shrugged. "I don't know; I've have to think about it. I'm already chosen to be a part of something else."

But then he held out his hand to Steel. "But I'll tell you what. If you guys need me again, give Hal Jordan a call; he lives in Coast City and works at Ferris Air. He can get in touch with me." Steel shook his hand appreciatively.

"Thanks Green Lantern; we owe you big time for helping us get Lucy back." Green Lantern nodded. "Now then, I have to get going; this battle has taken a lot out of me. See ya later!" he said before flying away.

"He's a great guy, don't you think Clark? He doesn't seem to be afraid of anything." Power Girl said as she floated up in the air. Her cousin nodded. "He sure is." "And cousin?" "Yeah?" he said.

"When we get back, and after making sure that Lucy and Brainiac 5 are alright…I'm going to start giving you flying lessons again." She said as she flew off carrying Brainiac 5. Steel laughed as he ran super fast carrying Lucy back home.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ferris Air:

Hal had just landed behind the company building when his ring finally gave out. He then returned to his normal clothes. He walked in and headed up to Carol's office. Hal knew he was going to get a scolding from her for arriving so late.

But, like the cocky man he was, he wasn't afraid. As he stepped into her office, Carol groaned. "Where the hell have you been, Hal Jordan?! You're an hour late for our discussion about the new plane! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Hal shrugged and smiled. "Sorry for being late. You wouldn't believe the line I had to wait through just for a hamburger." Carol shook her head. "Whatever, just sit down." Hal sat down while still smiling about his new secret identity…and the new friends he made.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

"Master, why did you bring me back here? I was about to finish those fools and bring the scarab to you!" Kalibak asked his master, who was sitting on his throne in the shadows again. "I know I could have defeated them if you let me…" "Enough Kalibak!"

Kalibak instantly fell silent before his master. "You were transported back because I decided the scarab was no longer worth the effort, or the manpower." Kalibak looked confused.

"Not worth the effort? My master, you wanted the scarab from the beginning; it was part of you plan, was it not?" His nodded. "Originally yes, but plans change. The Reach scarab was but a small piece in the grand scheme of mine for Earth; a piece that is not necessary anymore."

Kalibak was still confused. "But _why_ is it no longer needed?" "I have recently acquired a new piece of technology that has far more potential for power than the scarab." Kalibak nodded.

"I understand that, master. But I still don't understand why you wouldn't let me finish those pathetic Earth creatures! I was about to destroy them!" His master got up and his eyes began glowing red once more.

"From what I was observing here, those beings weren't as "pathetic" as you believe them to be…to do this much damage to you." Kalibak shook with anger. "You think I'm weak, don't you! I'm your second-in-command and yet you didn't allow me the chance to…"

"SILENCE, KALIBAK!!" he shouted. At once, Kalibak fell to his knees and shuddered. "I'm sorry…forgive me. I won't disrespect you again…father." His master then stepped out from the shadows and appeared to be a big gray man with a formidable physique. His expression was cold and unforgiving.

"Yes, Kalibak, I'm sure you won't." He walked right past his son, who whimpered. "As for the enemies you have fought today, they will be dealt with in time. When the moment comes, they shall feel the wrath….of Darkseid!"

To be continued.


	19. Chapter 18 Aftermath

I'm back with another chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 18: Aftermath

Oliver's Apartment:

Clark had just stepped out of the elevator and walked towards Oliver, who was smiling. "Hey Steel. How's Lucy?" Clark, after taking off his shades, smiled a little. "She'll be fine; the scarab is gone." Oliver smiled back.

"Lois will be happy that she's back; I called her right after you told me you were on your way back with her sister." Clark nodded. "Great; I hope Lucy doesn't remember anything about what happened over there." he said worryingly.

"That reminds me, what _did _happen in Coast City?" Clark recounted everything, including Kara, Green Lantern, Lucy separating from the scarab, and Kalibak. He decided to leave out Brainiac 5 since there was no need for Oliver to know.

When he was finished, Oliver looked disturbed. "Sounds like you guys have been through hell." Clark laughed humorlessly. "You can put it that way." Oliver shook his head.

"Green Lantern sounds like a real heavy hitter with a lot of guts; I hope to meet him someday." Clark agreed. "He definitely was a powerful ally." "But what about this Kalibak guy? From what you described, he could've killed you if given the chance."

"I know; I have a strong feeling that he'll be back…and angrier than ever." Clark said ominously. "Who could this master of his be?" Oliver asked. Clark wasn't sure. "I have no idea. But if Kalibak was that tough, I hate to face his master."

Oliver nodded in agreement. He then changed his expression. "So, I guess "Power Girl" did good out there, huh?" he said with a smirk. He dropped it when he saw how angry Clark looked.

"Was it something I said?" Before Clark could say anything, the elevator opened again, with Lois stepping out. Clark quickly put his shades back on and Oliver greeted her.

"Hi Lois." Lois looked apprehensive. "Ollie, where is Lucy? Is she alright?" she asked. Oliver smiled again. "Lucy's fine; she's sleeping in her bedroom." Lois looked extremely relived to hear the news.

"Thank God. I was afraid I just became an only child. How did you get her back?" Clark stepped in. "I found a way to safely remove the scarab from her; it's no longer a threat." he said while deepening his voice so that Lois could not recognize him.

Lois was surprised to see him; apparently she did not notice him until he spoke. She studied him and especially noticed the "S" on his chest. "Who are you supposed to be…Superman?" Steel sighed a little.

"I'm Steel." Lois raised an eyebrow. "_Steel_? That name sounds like it should belong to some guy in heavy body armor wielding a hammer." she replied sarcastically. "He's part of my team, Lois. He's practically a one man army." Oliver said in admiration.

Clark and Lois turned to Oliver in surprise; Clark because Oliver mentioned his team to Lois, and Lois because of hearing how strong "Steel" was. Lois then smiled at them both. "Well, I guess I should thank you big boys for bringing my little sister back."

She then hugged Oliver, and then walked over to Clark and hugged him too. "And for you, _Steel_, here's a little something extra for making sure my sister was unharmed." She then planted a big kiss on him, which surprised both guys.

A moment later, when Lois broke it, she felt suspicious. "Wait a minute." To Clark's surprise, she kissed him again…and for some reason, he didn't stop her. When she had let go again, Lois looked strangely excited.

"I know who you are!" Clark and Oliver looked alarmed now; they feared that Lois might have learned that Clark was behind those sleek sunglasses. "You do?" Oliver and Clark asked nervously.

Lois nodded. "Hell yes; only one guy has kissed me the way you did." Clark was dreading the moment he would have to explain everything to her, but what she said relieved him.

"You're Ollie's decoy; the one that saved me in that alley last year. You were the guy that wore his Green Arrow costume in order to convince me it wasn't him!" The guys smiled and almost laughed.

Steel, feeling lucky, shrugged. "Guilty as charged." he said jokingly. Oliver sighed in relief, while Lois smiled. "To be honest, I had been wondering who Ollie had picked to throw me off his trail. I can see why he picked you." she said she stared at his physique.

Clark cleared his throat nervously. "I remember something else you did that night." Lois didn't seem to understand what he meant. "You slapped me." he said while smiling. Lois looked mortified.

"Oh crap! I'm _so_ sorry about that! I was just pissed that you took advantage of me when I thought you were somebody else!" she said apologetically. Clark shook his head. "Trust me, I wasn't hurt."

Lois felt relieved herself. "Well, thanks again…both of you. I'll go check on Lucy and take her home." She then walked back into the elevator and headed down to her sister's bedroom.

The moment she was out of sight, Clark and Oliver sighed again. "That was close." Oliver said. "Sure was." Clark replied. "You told Lois about the team?" he asked. Oliver looked embarrassed. "It kinda slipped out. By the way, I can't believe that you got kissed by Lois…twice." Clark chuckled a little.

"Neither can I; and technically, it was three if you counted the ally incident." Oliver nodded. Clark decided not to tell him that he and Lois kissed plenty of times when he was affected by Red Kryptonite and when Lois was under the influence of that lipstick that made her attracted to Clark.

"You looked like you were enjoying making out with her." he said, teasing him Clark quickly dismissed it. "I was caught off guard; if she knew who I really was, she would've given me the mother of all slaps."

Oliver laughed. "Maybe." But Clark wasn't laughing with him, but acted serious again. "I wouldn't be laughing right now." Oliver stopped instantly as he saw the look on his friend's face.

"C'mon, it was just fun." Clark shook his head. "We were in the middle of something when Lois showed up. I want to settle it now." Oliver looked serious too. "Alright, what's got you so uptight this time?"

"It's about Kara." Oliver lifted his eyebrows. "What about her?" Clark looked outraged. "How dare you make my cousin join the team?! She is not ready for something like this! In fact, how did you even learn of her powers?"

Oliver looked mad himself. "What the hell are you talking about? First of all, I didn't offer Kara to be part of the team…she came to me!" Clark was shocked by his friend's response. "And two, she told me of her powers and showed them off to prove how helpful she could be."

Clark didn't believe what he was hearing. "How come you didn't tell me that you're cousin was from Krypton, like you?" "I had no reason too." he replied. Clark walked behind Oliver, still angry.

"Why are you so pissed off?! Isn't this what you wanted?" Oliver asked. Clark turned around, looking stunned. "Who the hell told you that?" "Kara. She told me you gave her your approval of becoming part of…." Oliver stopped as he studied Clark's reaction.

"You didn't know about this before, did you?" he asked. Clark shook his head again. "No; she didn't say a word until she flew in at Coast City." Oliver looked sorrowful. "I'm sorry Clark; I thought you were okay with this. But I guess Kara hasn't exactly been honest with me."

"Nor with me." Clark replied. "As soon as I get back home, I'm going to have a serious talk with her." "Hey, before you explode like a volcano at her, just hear her out. She probably had her reasons for doing this. Go easy on her."

Clark wasn't sure if he could handle what Kara could possibly say. He slowly nodded. "Fine, I'll hear her out." Oliver smiled in relief, until Clark said "And then I'll tell her to quit the team." Oliver looked surprised.

"Hey; you may be her cousin, but you can't keep sheltering her for the rest of her life! If she wants to spread her wings, you should let her. Unless Kara says she wants to quit the team, I'm not letting her go; that's her choice to make, and hers alone."

Oliver's words seemed to catch Clark by surprise, but he did not say anything more as he left the apartment. Oliver sighed frustratingly. Just then, he got out his cell and called Dinah.

"_Hey Ollie. What's on your mind?"_ she said after she picked up. Oliver had a strange glitter in his eyes as he answered. "We got another mission; several Luthorcorp supply trucks will be coming in tonight from Chicago. We're going to take them out."

"_And here I thought you were going to ask me out on a date."_ Dinah said sarcastically, but with a slight hint of disappointment. "If it makes you feel any better, we can have dinner at my place afterwards; I'll be doing the cooking." Dinah laughed.

"_You sure a flirt, rich boy."_ She then expressed some concern. _"Ollie, are you okay? You sound a little stressed."_ "Ah, Clark and I had a little argument, but everything's cool."

"_Glad to hear things worked out btw you two. There's something else, though."_ "What is it?" he asked curiously. _"You've been acting unusually aggressive towards Luthorcorp lately. I know you and Lucas are practically at each other's throats, but our last mission almost…"_

"I got careless, that's all. I'll be more careful tonight. Don't worry about me; there's nothing wrong. I'll see you tonight Dinah." Dinah sighed on the phone. _"Alright, later Robin Hood."_ she said as she then hung up.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Lucy's Bedroom:

When Lois saw Lucy sleeping peacefully in her bed, she looked like she was about to cry. She was so happy to see her sister again safe and sound, she could barely contain it. Lois had walked over to the bed and gently woke Lucy up.

Lucy stirred and found herself back in her bedroom at Oliver's place. She then saw Lois sitting beside her, smiling happily. Lucy smiled back as the sisters hugged each other tightly. When they had let go, Lois held her sister's hands.

"How are you feeling, sis?" she asked softly. Lucy rubbed her back. "My back still hurts, but not nearly as much as before. Where am I?" "Your bedroom in Oliver's apartment." Lucy was stunned. "I'm home?"

Lois nodded. "You sure are." Lucy then rubbed her head. "Was it…was it all a dream?" she asked herself. Lois looked confused. "Was what a dream?" Lucy didn't say anything for a long moment, but then she started to recall everything that happened to her.

"I remember Clark looking at my back to see if there were any problems, because it had hurt so badly, and he said that I should go to the hospital right away. Then…" she stopped there. Lucy didn't know if she should tell Lois the rest.

"Then the scarab that crawled into your back trapped you in some strange armor and made you fly off to take over the world?" Lucy was shocked. "How do you know that?" "Clark told me about the scarab and the Garretts after you had gone".

Stunned, Lucy nodded. "Then…then what happened in that desert _wasn't _a dream." "What dream are you talking about, Lucy?" Lucy looked at Lois with apprehension.

"Well, when I was trapped in the scarab's armor, I felt like I was trapped in some strange limbo or something; I couldn't remember anything I did then. But then I felt something inside my head; like some outside force pulling me free.

"The next thing I knew, I heard someone scream and collapsed near me. I opened my eyes, and discovered with shock that I was still inside the armor! I didn't understand it. I looked a little further and I saw…" she hesitated.

"Saw what?" Lois asked. Lucy didn't know how Lois would react to this, so she decided to save it for last. "I saw a big guy with a metal club bragging about taking me and the scarab back to his "master." He said his name was Kalibak and looked like a monster." Lucy replied fearfully.

"Kalibak? What kind of a name is that? And who's this master he talked about?" Lucy shrugged. "Beats the hell out of me. Anyway, I somehow knew how those cannons on the armor worked and blasted the him."

Lois was struggling to keep up as Lucy continued. "Then we fought, and even though the scarab's armor made me super strong, Kalibak was way stronger. Just when he was about to win, two people in costumes showed up and sucker punched him, and they were greeted by a third guy in tights."

"Who were they?" Lois asked. "Well, one was a guy dressed in red and blue, and wore yellow shades. I never heard his name, though" Lois knew instantly that she was talking about Steel, having met him earlier.

"Another was a girl with long blonde hair, and wore a white costume with blue gloves and boots. She called herself "Power Girl", and she definitely had the power to come with the name; she and that other guy seemed to have the same powers when they fought him."

Lois was stunned that Steel was working with someone who had the same powers as he did. "Same powers? Could they have been related?" Lucy wasn't sure. "I guess." "You mentioned a third guy in tights?" Lois asked.

"Oh yeah; he wore green and black…" Lois had cut her off their. "You must be talking about Green Arrow, right?" she guessed. To her surprise, however, Lucy shook her head. "No, it wasn't Green Arrow. This guy used a ring that fired energy blasts. I don't know how I know his name, but he's called "Green Lantern"."

Lois was getting more and more surprised by the second. "Huh, never heard of him. But he sounded like he could kick ass." Lucy chuckled. "We all kicked ass; all of us fought Kalibak, including me! Before he could attack again, he vanished into thin air."

"He just disappeared?" Lois said, puzzled. "Yeah, no one could explain that. After that, I felt a huge pain in my back, and then I blacked out. Next thing I knew, I was here."

As Lucy finished her story, Lois was awestruck. "Wow; are you sure you weren't dreaming, sis?" Lucy thought about it carefully, and then nodded. "Yeah, I'm positive it was all real. But what about the scarab? Is it still there?"

Lois looked at Lucy's back and saw nothing unusual. "Looks like that bug is gone now; no lumps anywhere." Lucy sighed in relief. "I'm glad it's gone." Lois hugged her again, happy to have her sibling back.

Lucy still looked disturbed about something as Lois looked at her again. "What's bothering you now?" "I think I know now how I got freed from the scarab's control, but you will think it's crazy." Lois laughed.

"Lucy, I have seen a lot of crazy stuff since I moved here. What can you possibly say that can surprise me now?" Lucy steadied herself. "I saw someone else in that dessert during the battle. He was the first one I saw before Kalibak."

Lois was puzzled again. "Who?" "I didn't want to tell you at first because I didn't believe it myself, but I think I'm positive now. I'm positive he was the one that freed me from the scarab; he was kneeling over me when I woke up, before Kalibak knocked him out…"

"Who the hell did you see, Lucy?" Lois asked impatiently. Lucy hesitated for a long moment, and then she said the name, which left Lois more shocked than ever:

"Brian."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Kara and Chloe were sitting on the chairs watching over Brainiac 5, who was still unconscious on the couch. They were worried about him, especially Kara.

"I don't get it; you healed him of his wounds from Kalibak's assault, right?" Chloe nodded. "Yeah, every burn or scratch on him was healed." "Then why hasn't he woke up yet?" Kara asked almost hysterically.

"I have no idea." Chloe said. "But Kara, there is nothing more we can do for him until he regains consciousness." Kara nodded reluctantly. Just then, Clark came in from the front door.

"Hey Clark; Kara told me everything that happened in Coast City and in the Sierra Madres. Sounded like you guys had one hell of a fight!" Chloe exclaimed as she hugged him. "Yeah; Kalibak was no pushover."

He then saw Brainiac 5 on the couch. "Is Brainiac 5 okay?" Chloe and Kara shrugged. "We don't know; I've healed his injuries but he's still out. He may be out for a while." Chloe said. "Well, as long as he is going to be alright that's what matters." Clark replied.

He then turned to Kara. "You and I need to talk, in the barn…now." He said seriously. Kara had a feeling what this was about, and didn't hesitate. "Alright; I'll be right there." Clark nodded as he walked ahead.

Kara then turned back at Chloe. "Is everything okay?" Chloe asked. Kara nodded. "We just need to straighten a few things out, that's all. If Brainiac 5 wakes up, let us know." Kara then walked out to the barn.

Clark was waiting in the loft, waiting for Kara. When she arrived, she felt a little nervous from the look Clark gave her. "Clark, I know what this is about." Clark raised his eyebrows.

"Good, then you know how angry I am right now." Kara didn't reply. When she didn't say anything else, Clark continued. "We had a talk about his months ago, and now you pull this stunt behind my back." "I know, Clark." Kara said annoyingly.

Clark shook his head. "When did you go to Oliver to be a member of his team?" he asked angrily. Kara crossed her arms. "The night that Brainiac 5 was kidnapped." Clark was shocked again.

"You've been on the team these past few days and didn't tell me?" Clark accused. Kara nodded without hesitation. "Yes, I did. And I don't regret it." Clark sighed.

"You lied to Oliver that I gave you permission to join up! Why did you do that?" "I knew that you would never approve of it, and since you and Oliver are on good terms, I thought it best to tell him that you gave me the okay."

Clark was not liking this at all. He tried to calm down, to talk rationally. "Why would you break your word? Do you know how much I worry about you?" Kara nodded. "Yes…constantly! You treat me like a little kid sometimes, and I couldn't stand it.

"So when you and Brainiac 5 were going to save Lucy, I wanted to go with you as part of the team, hoping you would let me fight with you, but as usual you shot me down. That was the last straw. I gave Oliver a call and picked up my Power Girl costume and flew to Coast City to give you guys a hand…which you obviously needed." She said.

"That's beside the point!" Clark shouted. "Then what is the point?" Kara shouted back. "The point is you can't do things without me knowing about them! You could be in serious trouble somewhere and I wouldn't know where you were or how to find you!"

"Clark, I'm not a child! I can handle myself!" "I know you're not a child, but you should still be honest and open with me!" "Why are you making such a big deal out of this?! Why the hell are you being so overprotective?!"

"Because I don't want to risk losing you again!!" Kara was silenced by those words. Clark sighed loudly as he walked over to the loft window and leaned on it. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. Clark finally broke the silence, and spoke much more calmly.

"Ever since you came into my life, I've felt responsible for you. You are my only living family member from Krypton, and I felt happy that you had arrived. But over the next year, in one way or another, you kept being taken away from me."

Kara listened with growing understanding and sorrow. "First you flew off when you accused me of not trusting you about your father, then when you had vanished from the Fortress, and finally when Brainiac took you with him to Krypton and trapped you in the Phantom Zone."

Clark then turned around and Kara was surprised to see tears coming from his eyes. "After Brainiac 5 brought you back, I promised myself that I would _never_ let anything happen to you again. I refused to lose my cousin another time!"

Kara then smiled at how much she meant to Clark. "That's why I had forbidden you to join Oliver's team: I couldn't risk some super villain you might tackle kill you or worse. You mean too much to me, Kara. Do you understand?" he asked softly.

Kara then hugged him tightly, just like she did the day when they were reunited months ago. Clark gladly hugged her back. "Of course I understand, cousin." She replied as Clark released her.

"I've appreciated everything you've done for me, and I'm happy that you care that much about me. But you have to remember, I have to a life of my own someday…a life outside this farm. So Clark, instead of sheltering me all the time, let me spread my wings and find a way to make a difference…like you are doing."

Clark chuckled softly. "Funny; that's exactly what Oliver told me before I left." Kara smirked. "Maybe he's right." Clark put his hands on Kara's shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"Kara, if being on Oliver's team means that much to you…then you can stay on it. I won't tell you to quit." Kara really smiled now. "Good, 'cause I wasn't planning to." They both laughed. "Anything else you want to talk about?" Kara asked.

Clark smirked too. "Actually, yeah. Let's say we start those flying lessons you promised?" Kara nodded. "Okay, how about we start after lunch? I'm starving!" They laughed again as they headed back in the house.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

Lucas was sitting in front of a young man with reddish brown hair and in a business suit. "After losing Queen Industries, I need another big company to continue with the plan. Can I count on you to lend a hand?"

The other man nodded. "Sounds like this "plan" could benefit both of us. Very Well, Mr. Luthor, I'm in." Lucas was happy to hear that. "With your specialty at robotics, I know we will succeed."

Lucas then shook hands with the other man. "Welcome aboard…Jarvis Kord."

To be continued.


	20. Chapter 19 Ascend

Hey everybody! Here is the next exciting chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 19: Ascend

Washington D.C.:

Martha Kent was reading the Daily Planet as she was sipping some coffee at her apartment. She didn't find anything unusual…nothing too unusual at least. Metropolis and Smallville always attracted trouble of all sorts, and she had been through a lot of it.

As she thought of her hometown, she thought of Clark and how much she missed him. Whenever she had the chance, she gave him a call to check up on him and make sure he was alright, and vice versa.

She didn't tell him this, but she was planning to surprise him by coming home for the weekend. Also, she looked forward to meeting Kara. Clark had told her about his cousin sometime during the previous year but she never had the chance to come home due to her duties as a U.S. Senator.

This weekend she was free and planned a flight back to Smallville to spend time with Clark and Kara. She smiled, for she can't wait to see her son again. She looked at her watch and saw that she had better get moving; it was 2:00 p.m. and her plane leaves in an hour.

She finished her coffee, grabbed her bags, and headed to the front door. But the moment she opened it and stepped out, a dart had been shot at her neck and she instantly collapsed onto the ground. Martha was then dragged away by a person completely dressed in black, and whose face was covered by a ski mask.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

A slight rumble shook the farm as Clark hit the ground, face first. He coughed as he got back up, feeling both humiliated and embarrassed. As he was brushing the dirt off himself, Kara flew down.

"Clark, that was the fifth time you slammed yourself into the dirt! You almost had it that time. What happened?" She asked, sounding frustrated. Clark looked sour as he wiped the last bit of dirt of him. For the past half hour, he had tried to learn how to fly…without any success.

"I don't know; I was starting to float for a second, and then I lost it. Maybe I'm not as ready to fly as I thought I was." Clark replied, clearly discouraged. Kara put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him in the eye.

"Listen, I _know_ you are ready to fly. You can't give up." Clark shook Kara's hand away. "Then tell me why it is so easy for you, and it's nearly impossible for me!" Clark said, feeling depressed.

Kara shrugged. "I don't know; I was able to fly the moment I stepped out of my ship." She thought about the problem for a second. "Maybe it has to do with what motivates you. When I fly, I don't let anything hold me back; I just allow myself to take to the skies without any worries."

Kara noticed a look of realization in Clark's eyes. "Is there something holding you back?" she asked. Reluctantly, Clark nodded. "Well, all my life, I've had this fear of…heights." He answered shamefully.

Kara looked dumbstruck. "You're afraid of high places? That's why you can't fly?!" Clark still felt ashamed as he looked away. "I know I've jumped high plenty of times in the past, but I don't like being up that high for long…I start to feel nervous and just want to get back to the ground as fast as I can." He replied.

Kara nodded. "Then that's the problem. You can't have anything holding you down, Clark; in order for you to fly, you need to _overcome_ your fear. You need to feel as free as a bird, like me." Clark nodded.

"Now come on, let's try again." Kara said as they walked back up to the barn loft. Meanwhile, inside the house Chloe was still watching over Brainiac 5. He remained as unconscious as ever. Chloe was starting to get worried.

She was starting to consider asking Clark to take Brainiac 5 to the Fortress and see if Jor-El can do anything to help. Just she was thinking about that, someone knocked on the door. Curious, Chloe answered the door and was surprised to see it was Lois.

Lois didn't look surprised, however. "I knew I'd find you here; I checked back at the apartment and at the Isis Foundation. Since you weren't hanging around at any of them, I thought I'd come to the Green Acres of Smallville." She quipped.

"Sorry Lois; I had a family obligation. Speaking of which, anything about Lucy?" Lois smiled. "She'll pull through; whatever brainwashed her has decided to take a hike. She's staying back at the Talon."

Chloe smiled back; although she knew that Lucy was already alright, she had to convince Lois she didn't know it until now. She then hugged her cousin. "I'm so glad to hear Lucy will be fine."

"So, why were you looking for me, cuz?" Chloe asked. "I need to talk to your brother about something, and I figured he's with you." she answered. Chloe hesitated. "Uh, I don't think this is a good time…" "Why not?" Lois said as looked over Chloe and saw, with surprise, Brainiac 5 on the couch.

"Is Brian okay?" When Chloe didn't respond, Lois pushed passed her and approached her other cousin. "He's alright, he's just taking a nap." Chloe said nervously. As Lois looked at him, she checked his pulse…something Chloe hoped Lois wouldn't do.

Lois noticed that Brainiac 5's pulse has slowed down significantly, and his heart rate was barely noticeable, and that worried her. Lois turned back to Chloe. "Unless he's in a coma or something, I highly doubt he's just snoozing."

Chloe then bit her lower lip. Lois stared at her, looking suspicious. "What happened to him, Chloe?" She struggled to come up with an excuse.

"Brian was…hit in the head by a mugger on our way to Isis. He tried to take our money, but I fought him off and got Brian out of there. It happened a while ago and he hasn't woken up yet, so I stayed to keep an eye on him. I didn't want to tell you until later; that's why I lied about the napping thing."

"Why bring him here then, instead of back at the Talon?" Lois asked further, not quite believing the accident. Chloe blinked for a moment. "I thought the…calming and fresh farm air might help." She replied.

Lois smirked and shook her head. "You're lying." Chloe started to feel really nervous now. "Why would I lie about my brother being attacked?" Lois shook her head. "I do believe that Brian was attacked by someone." Chloe sighed in relief.

It was short lived though as Lois continued. "What I _don't_ believe are the circumstances of how that happened and why he's resting here instead of at home." Chloe began to sweat.

"Why don't you believe me?" she asked more nervously. Lois walked a little closer to Chloe. "When I checked on Lucy, she told me an interesting story about what happened while that scarab was attached to her."

Chloe's eyes widened a little. "Really? What exactly did she say?" After sitting down on the chairs next to Brainiac 5, Lois told Chloe all the details she learned from Lucy. When she was done, Chloe was close to panicking.

"Lucy thought that Brian was there?! That's ridiculous; he was with me the whole time." Lois still didn't seem convinced. "What Lucy said definitely sounded absurd, but I could tell that she wasn't lying."

Chloe shrugged. "How could you know; she's lied before." she replied. Lois nodded. "Yeah, I know. But this time, she was being serious. She's convinced that not only Brian _was_ there, but he also was the one who freed her from the scarab."

Chloe knew that Lois was getting too close to the truth at this point, and she was running out of excuses. _'Damn it Clark, now would be a good time to help me out here!' _Before Chloe could say anything else (much to her relief), Clark and Kara came in.

"Don't worry Clark, you'll get better with practice. It's just something in your head." Kara said, comforting a still frustrated Clark. They stopped as they saw Lois and froze. "Lois! When did you get here?" Clark asked.

"Just a few minutes ago. What were you two talking about just now?" she inquired. Thinking quickly, Clark came up with good explanation. "Kara was teaching me how to whistle. I haven't had much luck, though."

Lois chuckled. "Yeah well, not everyone can do everything Smallville, even you." Clark sighed. "What brings you here, Lois?" Kara asked. "Chloe and I were having a little chat about Brian. Did she tell you of his…_accident_?"

Clark and Kara looked at Chloe in confusion, and one look from her told them to get Lois out right away. "Yeah she did; I was the one who insisted on Chloe bringing Brian here to better recuperate." Clark answered.

"We wanted Chloe to tell you in person and that's why we haven't called you." Kara said. Lois narrowed her eyes. "Do you two and Chloe know something I don't?" _'You have no idea how much we know that you don't.'_ Clark thought.

"We don't know anything more than you do. We just hope that Brian can make a quick recovery and wake up soon." he replied. Lois studied the three of them, and suddenly smiled. "Maybe you're right; what's more important is Brian getting better."

They smiled as she then got up. "Well, I have to get going; I got a hot lead to chase for a potential front page story. Catch you guys later." "Later Lois." Clark said as Lois closed the door behind her.

The three of them sighed as Clark and Kara sat down. Kara was about to ask, but Clark held his hand up to silence her. He looked through the house wall with his x-ray vision to make sure Lois was gone.

Last time they convinced Lois to leave, she snuck on them from the back, nearly exposing themselves. They didn't want to make the same mistake twice. When Clark saw Lois drive away in her car, he nodded.

"She's gone now." Chloe sighed in extreme relief. "What was all that about?" Kara asked Chloe. "What's wrong Chloe?" Clark asked. Chloe looked almost pale.

"We have a big problem; Lucy remembers the whole battle in the desert and she told Lois about it. Even worse, Lucy knows that Brainiac 5 was there and freed her from the scarab!" She replied.

Clark and Kara were shocked that Lucy remembered everything. "That's not good." Kara said. "We have to figure something out; Lois is not going to stop until she gets the whole truth." Clark said.

"And if Lois finds out the truth about Brainiac 5, she could find out the truth about us." Kara said in agreement. "What can we possibly say that will convince her what Lucy said wasn't true?" Chloe asked.

As they sat there, the house phone rang. Clark got up and walked over to the phone. "Hello?" he said after he picked up. _"Is this Clark Kent?"_ said a muffled voice. Something told Clark to not confirm it, so he tried to lie.

"I'm afraid you have a wrong number." _"Then I have to slit your mother by the throat."_ Clark froze as his eyes widened and his mouth open in shock. "What did you just say?" he asked, his voice shaking.

The muffled voice on the other line chuckled. _"I thought that would get your attention, Clark." _Kara and Chloe got up and listened intently, for they started to look worried themselves.

"Who are you? What have you done with my mother?!" Clark yelled. _"Who I am is not important. As for your mother, she's fine…for the moment."_ Clark was starting to look pissed off. "Let her go!" he demanded.

"_I will, once you do something for me in exchange."_ Clark stood there silently, fearing what he would be asked to do. "What do you want from me?" he asked. _"I want you to run a simple errand for me, that's all. Do this and you get your mother back, alive and unharmed."_

Clark shook a little from fear as he asked the question. "What errand?" The voice took a moment to answer. _"Bring me the body of Lionel Luthor. Dig it out and deliver it yourself at Suicide Slums in one hour. If you don't, the U.S. will lose a very valuable senator."_

Clark gasped. "Why do you want that body?" The voice didn't answer, for the person had hung up. Clark shut his eyes and squeezed his hands so tight on the kitchen counter, that big chunks were broke off.

When Clark turned back at the girls, they looked more worried than ever. "Clark, who was that?" Clark shook his head as he told them what happened. Kara looked scared, and Chloe had her hands to her mouth.

"But what does this psychopath want with Lionel's body?" Chloe asked. "I don't know. I either deliver the body or my mother dies; it's that simple."

"Clark, we can't let this guy get what he wants; if someone wants Lionel's body, then there is something valuable about it." Kara said. Clark shrugged. "What could be valuable about a corpse?" Chloe asked in disgust.

"It doesn't matter; he's not getting it." Clark said firmly. Chloe was surprised by his answer. "Then how are we going to rescue your mom?" she asked. Clark stood there for a moment. "I have a plan."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Suicide Slums:

There a lot of homeless people in this part of Metropolis. Everyone was either fighting for the barrel with fire to keep warm, scraping for food, and searching the trash for anything of value.

A thick crowd of them parted as Clark walked through carrying a large black bag on his shoulders. It was big enough to contain a body. He looked around to see if anyone was waiting for him.

Clark saw a chubby man in a large overcoat and hat pointing at him and then beckoning him to come forth as he walked away. He followed the stranger through the alley until he walked inside an empty building.

Clark trailed inside and found the man leaning on the right hand wall, arms crossed. "Welcome to Suicide Slums, my friend. Glad you delivered the package." the strange said in a rough voice.

"Are you the one that called me and threatened my mother?" Clark asked calmly. The man smirked. "I'm just a grunt. What, you'd actually think he'd be here himself?" the man replied as he chuckled.

"Where is my mother?" Clark asked fiercely. The stranger continued to smirk. "Give me the body first, and then we can talk about your mommy." Hesitating for a moment, Clark slowly laid the bag down in front of the man.

"What does your _boss_ want with Lionel's body? Why did he ask me to get it for him?" Clark asked. The man shook his head. "You're just full of questions, aren't you?" Clark was losing his patience.

"Do you know anything about this or not?" he asked angrily. The man shrugged. "If I knew anything, I wouldn't tell you farm boy; boss's orders, you know." he replied with another chuckle.

Clark calmed down and smirked, to the stranger's surprise. "That's what I'd thought you would say." The man shook it off as he began opening the bag to make sure it was Lionel's. The moment the bag was opened, a strong blue gloved hand came out and grabbed his throat.

The bag opened as Kara, in her Power Girl costume, tore her way and held him on the floor. She was smirking, along with Clark. "About time; I thought he'd never open it." she said, happy to take some action.

The man was shocked at this turn of events. He could not speak, for Kara's grip was too tight. "Loosen your grip a bit, we need him to talk." Clark said as he kneeled beside her. Kara complied and allowed their prisoner some breathing room.

As Clark held his arms down, and stared hatefully into the man's face. "Tell me where my mother is now!" "Never…(cough)…you can't make me!" he gasped. Kara took a nearby brick with her free hand and crushed it into powder.

The man's eyes widened with more shock. "If you don't talk, _that's_ what will happen to you." Kara threatened. The grunt looked terrified. "Last chance; talk or you will regret it!" Clark shouted. The man finally nodded.

"Okay I'll talk! Your mother is being held in an old bomb shelter in D.C.! It's a couple of blocks east of the White House!" "Now we're getting somewhere." Kara said, smirking. "What does your boss want with Lionel Luthor's body?" Clark asked again.

"He never told me; said it was none of my business! He just said he wanted it, nothing more!" "Why did he ask Clark to get it?" Kara asked. "He didn't tell me that either! All he told me to do was to wait for Clark to deliver the body here and to it take to him, then he'll pay me and that was it!"

"Is that all?" Clark inquired threateningly. The man nodded shakily. "That's all, I swear! Please don't hurt me!" Kara tapped lightly on the man's forehead and he was out like a light.

After the Kryptonian cousins released him, they looked weary. "Now we can catch this guy off guard." Kara said as she stuffed the guy in the bag. "Right; you take this man to the police, I'll suit up and get my mother. Meet me there as soon as you can." Kara agreed as they super sped in different directions.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Washington D.C.; Bomb Shelter:

All was quiet in that place. Martha was unconscious and tied up to an odd structure. On her left was a tall man in a business suit, smoking a cigar. Long black hair and a goatee, he looked content with his prisoner.

His peace was short lived as he heard the door to the bomb shelter tear open and caused a loud noise in the place. He stood up, looking slightly surprised. A second later, Clark super sped in the room in his Steel costume.

Clark saw his mother and looked relieved that she wasn't hurt. He then turned to the kidnapper and scowled. "Who are you?" he asked in his deep voice.

The man walked around slowly, still smoking his cigar. "The one that kidnapped Senator Martha Kent." he answered calmly and proudly. Steel felt like strangling him, but he kept himself in check.

"What were you hoping to gain by getting Lionel Luthor's body?" Steel asked. The man puffed out some smoke. "Nothing; I wanted too see if you would actually give in to black mail, Mr. Kent. I can see that you are not so intimidated."

Steel and stared at him in shock. The man continued to smile. "Yes Clark, I know it's you. And I know about your amazing gifts, which is why you were the perfect candidate to bring the body." Steel was starting to feel both angry and afraid of this guy.

"However, I can see your will is just like the rest of you; unyielding." "You've mistaken me for someone else." Steel said, trying to keep his cover. The mysterious man shook his head, appearing unconvinced.

"That line won't work; your cover has already been blown. Why do you think I kidnapped your mother out of all the Senators? So I can see what you're made of." Steel snarled at him. "Who are you?!" He asked again.

The man stopped walking and puffed out more smoke, still smiling. "Rick; that's all I'm going to tell you." Steel looked from Rick to Martha and back again. "This was all a test?! You've pulled this stunt just so you can meet me?!"

Rick laughed. "Quite right; I never wanted Lionel's body. That thug I hired to meet with you was a just a beacon to lure you here. I arranged the whole thing to get you to come." Steel felt something was not right.

"What the hell do you want with me?" Rick had put a hand in his pocket and pulled out a syringe. "I want you to make a choice; either save your mother from the bomb that's strapped to her chest, or stop the satellite from impacting into the capital."

Steel looked horrorstruck. "What satellite?" he asked. Rick smiled more, showing his teeth. "The one that ceased to function and fell from orbit the moment you've arrived. It will impact here in less than 30 seconds, which is how long your mother has; I doubt even you can save both her and the capital."

Rick then pointed to Martha, and Steel saw with shock that there was a bomb on her chest, and it was ticking down from 30 seconds at that moment. The terrorist then pointed behind Steel, and when Steel turned around, his fears were confirmed.

A large satellite was falling from orbit and heading directly for Washington D.C.. Horrified, Steel turned back to Rick with hate. "That's why you chose this bomb shelter; so that you can survive the explosion from the impact?!"

Rick laughed. "Oh, if only it were that simple." he laughed again. "You're insane!!" Steel yelled. Rick continued to laugh as he stuck the syringe into his neck and injected whatever substance was in it. Steel pulled the syringe away, but it was too late; the man was dead.

Steel didn't understand why Rick would kill himself if chose this place that was used for survival. He didn't have time to think; he had to act now. But what was his choice: His mother or Washington D.C.?

Before he could make his choice, Power Girl flew in. "What happened here?" She asked as she saw the dead man. "A satellite is about to crash here and my mom is strapped to a bomb; both of which will explode in less than 30 seconds."

Power Girl was shocked, but quickly recovered. "No brainer there; you free your mom and I'll stop the satellite." Power Girl was about to fly out, but Steel stopped her. "Wait; I'll stop the satellite."

His cousin was surprised to hear that. "But Clark, you can't fly yet!" Steel then looked up into the ceiling. "That's about to change." At that moment, he had forgotten his fear of heights. All he was focusing on was the satellite that would crash and kill lots of people if left unchecked.

Sure, Kara could stop it, but he wanted to prove that he had it in him too. He pushed aside the only thing holding him back and finally felt as Kara had put it "free as a bird." At that moment, he began to float off the ground.

Power Girl was surprised yet again. Her cousin was floating all by himself. She had no time to say anything, for Steel held his right arm out and shot through the ceiling like a rocket.

She shook off her surprise and focused on freeing Martha. She untied her and carefully removed the bomb from her chest. With 10 seconds left she held the bomb and flew out threw the hole Steel made and threw it as far into the sky (not in the same direction that Steel went) as she could.

In the distance, she saw the bomb explode. She flew back in and stayed with Martha, waiting and hoping that her cousin would pull it off.

Up in the upper atmosphere, Steel was racing through the air to stop the falling satellite. In just seconds he caught it and tried to push it away, but it was huge; he had trouble slowing it down.

Flying may still be new to him, but Steel knew it was basically the same as running super fast; only no actual running. Steel began pushing the satellite to slow its descent, and it was slowing down.

Using his strength and willpower, Steel gradually stopped the satellite from falling and flew into space, pushing the satellite away from Earth. Steel floated there, watching the satellite disappear into the blackness of outer space.

Smiling that he saved all those people, and from the fact that he can finally fly, he flew back down to the bomb shelter, where Power Girl was waiting. Steel was a little tired from his latest save.

"I…did it. The satellite…is gone." He said tiredly. "Is my mom okay?" he asked as he looked at her. Power Girl smiled. "She's just fine." Steel smiled too. "I can't believe it: You finally flew!!" She exclaimed.

Steel felt very proud of himself. "Yeah…I did. Now c'mon, let's go home." The Kryptonians then flew back to Smallville while Steel carried his mom.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

"I can't believe everything that's happened. That sick man kidnapped me to get to you. How could he know about your secret, Clark?" Martha asked as she, Clark, Kara, and Chloe ate dinner.

"I have no idea; he didn't say anything before he killed himself." Clark said. He was disgusted how a man like Rick would kill himself just to force Clark to make an impossible choice.

"Good thing I was there; he definitely wouldn't have had enough time to save you and stop that satellite from falling." Kara said. Martha nodded. "Thank you helping Clark finding and saving me, and all of D.C.. I'm glad to finally meet you, Kara." Martha said affectionately.

Kara smiled from her appreciation. "I'm glad too, Mrs. Kent. Clark told me a lot about you." she said looking at Clark, who smiled back. "What did it feel like, sweet heart, to finally fly on your own?" Martha asked.

"Yeah Clark! Tell us how you earned your wings!" Chloe said excitedly. Clark took a deep breath, exhaled, and explained. "It was probably one of the best experiences of my life." he said.

"Flying was, at first, difficult for me to learn. But when I found out what was at stake, I had to brush my fear of heights away and do what had to be done. When I was flying, I felt so…free." Kara snickered a little.

"Well, I'm glad you can finally take to the skies; something tells me you'll need it a lot in the future." Chloe exclaimed. "Speaking of the future, how is Brainiac 5?" Martha asked as she looked at the futuristic hero, who was still on the couch.

"He's been out all day; maybe he'll wake up in the morning." Chloe said. Martha turned to Clark, looking serious. "Clark, if what he told you was true, you will need all the powers, and friends, you can get. This Darkseid sounds dangerous." she said.

Clark nodded. "Don't worry mom; I'll be ready when the time comes." He looked around at Kara, Chloe, and Brainiac 5. "We'll all be." Everyone agreed as they returned to their meal.

Kara turned to look at Brainiac 5 once more, worrying if he will be fine when he wakes up.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Daily Planet:

Lois was busy on the computer at her desk. She was trying to find reports of that battle in the desert, but all she found was that a massive explosion took place in the Sierra Madres.

She did, however, find an article about the attack on Coast City, and that there were eyewitnesses who believed they saw some people on top of tall building.

She dug a little deeper, and she found a photo from a photographer who took some shots on the building the fighting was taking place and he donated them to the locale newspaper there.

She looked through the photos and saw Steel, Lucy in the scarab's armor, and two people she guessed were Green Lantern and Power Girl, judging from Lucy's description of them. But what she was really looking for just popped in her view.

Right there, where Lucy was pointing her cannon at a young boy while Steel and Power Girl were down, she saw that the boy was without a doubt Brian. She was awestruck at first, but then she gained that determined look of hers again.

'_I don't know how you got all the way to Coast City and back in little time, or how you are involved with freeing Lucy from the scarab, but sooner or later…I'll get to the bottom of it.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Luthor Mansion:

Lucas was sitting at the desk that was once belonged to Lex and studied a recording he just received on his laptop. He seemed a little intrigued. Just then, one of his guards walked in with a disk and gave it to Lucas.

"Here is the data you've asked, sir." the guard said. Lucas smiled. "Thank you." The guard nodded and walked out. Once he was gone, Lucas inserted the disk and uploaded the contents.

As he viewed what was on them, he smiled even more. "Just as a I thought. I always knew there was a reason Lex was always obsessed about you. But, I had no idea you were not alone. You and that relative of yours sure do have a lot in common."

There were two videos on his laptop screen, and he was watching both simultaneously. One was the one of Steel, Rick, and Martha at the bomb shelter, which he just got from that guard. The other was the one showing Kara beating the crap out of Intergang thugs at the Ace of clubs recently.

He then picked up his cell phone and gave a call. "It's Lucas Luthor. First of all, I want to thank you for retrieving the security tapes from the Ace of Clubs the night Mannheim's men were arrested; they were enlightening."

Lucas listened as the person on the other line saying he was pleased. "Glad to hear that. Although, I don't quite understand why it took so long to get them to me." The man he talked to apologized.

"Don't worry about it; I understand the difficulty of obtaining them, but I'm glad it was done, and killed anyone who might've seen them that night. When did I get them? Oh, just earlier today." He said as the other person asked when he got those tapes.

"Yep, without your precious gift, I never would've come up with the plan to kidnap Martha Kent and hired Rick to pull off his amazing performance. Now they'll never know that we're on to them."

The other person asked what they planned to do now. "Now? We just sit and wait for the right moment…to strike. Let me know when "it" is ready." Lucas then hung up, feeling very pleased how everything worked out.

Lucas continued to watch the recordings and thought that when they were out of way, no one will be able to stop him, or his master, from taking over Earth. "Soon, Clark Kent, you're going to wish you hadn't gotten in our way."

To be continued.


	21. Chapter 20 Companion

Hello again! If you liked my previous chapter, you'll love this one! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 20: Companion

Outer Space:

Everything was peaceful and still in the reaches of outer space. Sometimes an asteroid or even a comet may fly by Earth's solar system. However, something was passing by Earth's orbit, and it was neither a asteroid or a comet.

A silver object, about the size of a small boulder, was moving through space without any problems. As it was about to pass Earth, a blue energy beam shot through the planet's atmosphere and hit the silver object at it's engines.

The object was spinning violently as it fell towards Earth. It was burning up in the atmosphere, but remained intact. Flames surrounded the thing as it descended to the planet's surface.

A few minutes later, it finally made impact in Antarctica, embedding itself several feet beneath the snow and ice. The heat from the impact melted the ice surrounding the object, and the object slowly sunk beneath the surface…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

One month later; Isis Foundation:

"For the last time Lois, no! Brian is still unconscious!" Chloe shouted in annoyance. Lois sighed loudly from her cousin's response.

"You're kidding me, right? How can your brother _still_ be out colder than a mackerel from a whack in the head?" Lois asked persistently. Chloe still shrugged it off. "This past month you've been asking me nonstop if Brian was awake yet, and it's been getting worse. What's the deal?"

"The deal is that Brian may not be what he appears to be." Chloe stopped writing a form she was filling out and looked at Lois. "Is this about what Lucy told you? You still think Brian was somewhere else when he was with me at that time?"

Lois remained firm. "Chloe, I know she was right. I need to talk to Brian…" "Not to burst a bubble on what could be a big story for you, but did you ever consider that Lucy could be hallucinating? That she imagined Brian and that big clash she "experienced"?"

Lois smirked. "Not after what I've found." she said in a triumphant voice. Chloe raised her eyebrows a bit. "What are you talking about?" she asked. Lois held a yellow folder in her hand and opened it.

"On the day that Lucy came back, I did some digging around on the net for anything that might have happened in the Sierra Madres; the desert where Lucy said that battle took place." Chloe listened intently, though still skeptical.

"All I found was a massive explosion that occurred there; it didn't mention what caused it or who was involved." Chloe interrupted. "Sounds like a dead end to me." Lois shook her head, to Chloe's surprise.

"I wasn't finished. I continued to dig through any incidents near that desert, but while I was looking I found an article about an attack in Coast City. It happened shortly before the mysterious explosion, which happened near that very place."

Chloe continued to listen with growing fear. "Some guy was up on the rooftop of an building and saw the battle of some sort on another building nearby and took some photos…which I have right here."

Lois then handed the photos to Chloe, who hesitated to take them. There were only a few, but what they did show caused Chloe to panic on the inside. "These pictures prove what Lucy told me was true…especially the last one."

Chloe skimmed through the photos and stopped at the final photo, which made her drop her jaw. It was a clear, and undeniable, picture of Brainiac 5 with Clark and the others as they confronted Lucy. Lois noticed that Chloe's expression.

"It's pretty shocking, isn't it?" Chloe tore her eyes from the photo to Lois. "You had these this past month and didn't tell me until now?!" Chloe asked whispered. Lois sat down next to her cousin.

"I was waiting until Brian came around and explained it himself, but I thought you were the second best choice." Lois said. Chloe grabbed Lois shoulder. "What are you trying to say Lois?" Lois dropped her smirk and softened up a little to Chloe.

"I think either Brian is meteor infected and that he can be in two places at once without telling you, or you know something else about him and are not willing to fill me in on it. I have to know, which is it?" Lois asked softly.

Chloe, not knowing what to think, just dropped the photos and got up while starting to cry. "Dammit Lois, just drop it, please! My brother is not going to be some front page newspaper story! Remember, he's as much your cousin as I am yours. Don't do anything that would hurt your family!!"

Chloe then stormed out, leaving Lois stunned by Chloe's reaction. Lois sighed and leaned on one hand. "Great, Lois…that was nicely handled." she said to herself.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

Chloe had just walked back in her apartment and walked into her bedroom, where Brainiac 5 was resting. She sat down the bed next to him and looked at him with pity. She wished that he would wake up already and try to clear everything with Lois.

Chloe had never been so mad at her before; she totally lost it back there. _'Why did I throw that tantrum? That's not like me.'_ As Chloe continued to look at Brainiac 5, she held his hand. She smiled a little.

'_Maybe I acted the way I did because I really am starting to think of you as a brother. You and I are alight alike, after all.'_ Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone knocking on her door.

Reluctantly, she got up and opened it. She thought it would Lois coming to apologize, or maybe Jimmy wanting to comfort his fiancé, but for the first time she was disappointed to see that it was Clark.

"Hey Chloe. Can I come in?" Sniffing, Chloe nodded. "Sure, I can use some friendly company." Clark and Chloe sat on the couch. "Is there any change in Brainiac 5's condition?" Clark asked.

Chloe shook her head. "No; still the same. And you can tell that to Lois when you see her again." she snapped. Clark flinched. "I asked because Kara told me too; she's growing more and more concerned about him."

Chloe nodded. "Oh, right. Sorry." Clark could tell that his friend was suffering. "But Lois did call me a few minutes ago and asked me to check on you. She said you were upset." Chloe laughed horribly.

"That would an understatement." she replied. "What happened btw you two?" Clark asked calmly. Sniffing, Chloe told him of Lois' photos and that when she tried to get answers from Chloe about Brian, Chloe snapped and walked out.

Clark was both shocked and sorry for her. "Clark, Lois is practically two steps away from finding out the truth about Brainiac 5. Those photos could prove that he's not human. What are we going to do?"

Clark hugged her to comfort her. "I'm sorry for what happened. You and Lois love each other; I don't want you two to hate one another." Chloe nodded. "I know." "Listen, after awhile, you and Lois try to make up, alright? As for the photos, let me worry about…"

Just then, Clark suddenly let go of Chloe and covered his ears and yelled in pain. Chloe was shocked as Clark fell to his knees. "Clark, are you okay? What's going on?" Clark grinded his teeth and groaned painfully. A moment later, he relaxed.

"Clark, what just happened?" Chloe asked, still caught of guard by Clark's sudden spasm of pain. Before he could answer, Kara walked in and rubbed her ears. When she saw Clark get back up, she was convinced of something.

"You heard it too?" She asked. Clark nodded silently. "Hear what?" Chloe asked as she helped Clark up. "I heard a loud signal just now…it was Kryptonian." Chloe was shocked even more. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Clark's right; it's definitely Kryptonian. I recognize that particular signal anywhere." Kara said in agreement. "But what caused it?" Chloe asked. "That's what Kara and I are going to find out." Clark said as he and Kara headed for the door.

"Clark and I won't be gone long; we'll let you know of what's going on." Kara replied as she and her cousin walked out. Chloe just sat back on the couch, now worried. _'If another rogue Kryptonian has landed here on Earth, things are not going to be pretty.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Antarctica:

Clark and Kara flew towards where they believed the signal originated…Antarctica. As they landed, they searched for any sign of any Kryptonians or technology. So far, all they saw was snow and ice, and occasionally penguins.

"This is where the signal came from, but I don't see anything out of the ordinary. Do you?" Kara asked. Clark shook his head. "No, at least not on the surface." Clark and Kara then both looked through the ice beneath them with their x-ray vision.

"Still don't see anything." Kara said. "Keep looking; the Antarctic is a big place." Clark instructed as the continued scanning beneath the surface. "Let's spread out a little." Clark said as he and Kara moved quickly over the snow.

They scanned different areas of Antarctica for a few minutes, still not finding anything. Kara was about to head back to Clark, having found nothing, when she saw a hole she hadn't noticed earlier.

It was big enough for a large animal to fit through, and it went several feet underneath the ice. Kara x-ray the spot and saw what they were looking for. "Clark, over here!" Clark ran to her instantly. "What did you find?" he asked.

Kara pointed down the icy hole. "The source of the signal; a large Kryptonian device is buried deep in the ice." Clark saw it too with his x-ray vision. "Let's get it out." he said.

Together, they melted the ice the make the hole large enough for both of them to fit through. They floated down to the bottom, grabbed the device, and pulled it back onto the surface.

Clark and Kara were stunned by what they've found. It was a ship; similar to the one Clark traveled in when he was a baby, only a little bigger. They saw that the hatch, which was located on the top, had been opened.

"Looks like another Kryptonian managed to survive Krypton's destruction." Clark said as he and Kara examined the ship. "Whoever was inside just got out; the hatch opening must have triggered the signal we've heard. The Kryptonian probably used his or her heat vision to melt away the ice on top." Clark suggested.

Kara looked inside the cockpit and, to Clark's surprise, shook her head. "You could be right, but I don't think it was a _who_ that was in here…more like a _what._" She said. Clark widened his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Kara motioned for him to look in the cockpit, and saw that she was right. The inside didn't look like it was meant to contain any humanoid shaped life form. Also, several strands of what appeared to be hair were all over the cockpit.

Clark picked up a handful and took a closer look at them. "These look like animal hairs." Kara agreed as she saw them. "Sure do. They're probably dog hairs." Clark started to laugh, which confused her.

"What's so funny?" Kara asked. Clark, still chuckling, shook his head. "Kara, I may not know a lot about Krypton, but I'm pretty sure there weren't any _dogs_ there." Kara smirked. "Oh my dear cousin, how naïve you are." she said jokingly.

Clark stopped laughing and gaped at her. "We really _had_ dogs on Krypton?!" he asked in disbelief. Kara nodded. "They weren't that much different than the ones here on Earth. The only noticeable difference was that our dogs were more intelligent."

"How much more intelligent?" Clark asked. Kara smiled more, showing her teeth. "As smart as any human." Clark was dumbstruck. He looked away for a moment, thinking. "So what you're saying is… here on Earth, a Kryptonian dog is chasing it's tail somewhere?"

Kara shrugged. "Most likely." Clark looked worried. "Kara, if that dog was from Krypton, it probably has the same powers we do. And it can cause a lot of damage if we don't find it before someone gets hurt." Clark said seriously.

Kara looked worried too. "Yeah; I feel sorry for any dog catchers that see it." she replied. Clark looked around the area and listened with his super hearing. "I don't hear any barking close by and see nothing; if that dog has learned to fly, it could be anywhere by now."

"So what's the plan?" Kara asked. "You take the ship back to the farm and hide it there, and then suit up and fly around. Call me if you find the dog." "What about you; aren't you going to help?" she asked. Clark nodded. "I'm going to the Fortress and get some answers from Jor-El. I'll meet up with you later."

As Kara picked up the ship, the Kryptonian cousins flew off in separate directions.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Daily Planet:

Lois was typing up her next story, feeling very depressed. She had not heard from Chloe since that big argument. She wondered if Chloe will ever speak to her again. Her thoughts were interrupted when Jimmy walked in.

"Hey Lois, check out these photos. I think you'll like them." Lois snapped her eyes at Jimmy. "Not to be rude or anything, but I'm really not in the mood for photos right now." Jimmy saw that he caught Lois in a bad mood.

"What's up? You're even more snappy than usual." he asked. Lois sighed. "I'm sorry Jimmy, it's just that Chloe and I had a big fight and I don't know if she'll forgive me." "Oh." Jimmy replied as he took a seat.

"Do you…want to talk about it?" he asked cautiously. Lois took a moment to reply. "It's personal, I don't think you'd understand." Jimmy nodded. "Okay, just trying to help." he replied politely.

As he was about to walk away, Lois talked. "It's about Brian." Jimmy sat back down with surprise. "Chloe's brother? What about him?" Lois shook her head and rubbed her temples.

"I have…suspicions that he's not as normal as we think he is." Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "Not normal as in…meteor infected?" Lois shrugged. "I don't know what to think. All I wanted was some answers, and she exploded with anger. She's never been that mad at me before, and it's eating me up."

Jimmy listened and felt great sorrow for her. "Hey, it's not the end of the world. I'm sure Chloe will come around and forgive you. You're her cousin, not to mention her Maiden of Honor for our wedding."

Lois sniffed as wiped a tear from her eye. "You're right. Maybe I shouldn't have been so nosy when it comes to family. If there was really anything seriously wrong with Brian, Chloe has the right to tell me if she feels like it; otherwise, just let sleeping dogs lie I'd say." Lois said, starting to feel better.

Jimmy smiled. "That's the spirit, Lois. Just give her some time; she'll cool off. And besides, if Brian was meteor infected, it would make sense for Chloe to protect him since she is too and…" Jimmy stopped right there, realizing his big mistake.

Lois locked eyes with Jimmy instantly. "What?" she asked incredulously. Jimmy looked very ashamed. _'Oops, shouldn't have said that! Chloe's going to kill me!'_ "Uh, maybe I should grab you a mug of coffee, huh? I'll, um, be right back!"

Jimmy tried to leave but Lois grabbed his arm. "Hold it Olsen!" Looking very nervous, Jimmy turned around and faced Lois, who regained her interrogating look. "Chloe is _meteor infected_?!" she whispered.

"I…I didn't say that. What I meant was that, uh, well…" Jimmy tried to come up with a lie to get himself out of this jam, but nothing convincing came to mind. Lois eyed him suspiciously.

Jimmy finally gave up. "Look, I didn't mean for it spill out; I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone. And being her cousin, I thought that you already knew." Lois looked stunned.

"How long have you known?" she asked after a moment. "Since the night that Chloe and I got trapped in that elevator with the bomb. She thought we were going to die and she didn't want to go without any regrets, so she confessed."

Lois, still surprised, sat back down. She didn't say anything for a while. "Um, can I go now?" Jimmy asked, breaking the silence. Lois looked up and nodded. "Yeah, you can." "Thanks; um, tell Chloe not to be mad at me, okay?" he asked nervously as he left.

Lois sat there, deep in thought. _'My cousin…a meteor freak? How the hell did that happen? How long did she know? What kind of power could she have?'_ Her mind was filled with questions about Chloe when she decided to head out for some air.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis streets:

When Lois stepped outside, she sneezed…and again, and again. She was at first wondered what could possibly make her sneeze so much, but the answer came to her when she looked down.

A big, white dog was staring up at Lois. It looked curious as to why she was behaving strangely. Lois got a tissue and wiped her nose before looking back at the dog. "No offense, Toby, but me and dogs don't like to get close."

Lois then walked the other way, only for the dog to instantly appear in front of her again. After suffering another sneeze, Lois was becoming agitated, as well as surprised. "How the heck did you get in front of me without me seeing you?"

The dog scrapped his paw on the sidewalk. Unless Lois was mistaken, the dog was telling her that it simply walked to her. She was looking more and more curious, and then brushed it off.

"First I found out that my cousin is meteor infected, and now a stray dog is trying to talk to me. I must be losing my mind." She said as she turned around again. Like before, the dog appeared the instant she changed direction.

"Stop doing that! I'm trying to get away from you!" The dog barked a few times before it jumped on her, causing her to fall to the ground. Lois had the breath knocked out of her when the dog jumped; she hit the ground hard.

"Damn, you're a strong pooch, aren't you?" Lois said as the dog tried to lick her. As much she struggled, the dog wouldn't stop. "Hey! Cut it out! Didn't I just tell you that I'm not a dog person! Down, boy, down!"

Instantly, the dog got off. While she was getting back up, she saw a leather collar around the dog's neck, as well as a tag. "Well, I guess you have an owner, huh?" Lois' mouth fell when she saw the dog did what was unmistakably a nod. Lois looked around to make sure no one was watching or listening.

"Okay, I can't believe I'm asking this, but…can you understand me?" To her shock, the dog nodded again. Lois laughed to herself. "It's official; I've completely lost it." She noticed the tag on the dog's collar.

Lois was surprised again as she saw the tag was made of crystal and bore a familiar insignia. At that moment, Lois guessed who the dog belonged too. "Tell you what boy, I'll take you someplace you'll right at home and I'll try to get in touch with your owner, how's that sound?"

The dog barked happily by Lois's suggestion. "I'll take that as a yes." she said as she walked to her car with the dog walking right behind her, who heard Lois made another sneeze.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Fortress:

"_**Welcome back, Kal-El. What brings you here today?"**_ Jor-El asked after Clark flew inside the Fortress. "Kara and I just found a Kryptonian ship in Antarctica and whatever was inside is loose somewhere on Earth. Kara believes that it was an animal…a dog. Care to elaborate?" Clark asked.

"_**Our Dogs, like on Earth, were extremely loyal to the families they were adopted too. Before you were born, your mother and I found a particularly strong and loyal one. We named him…Krypto."**_

Clark was stunned. "We had a pet dog?" _**"Yes. Krypto took a strong liking to us almost instantly, especially towards you, Kal-El. However, he was not so friendly with Zor-El."**_ Clark smirked. "Can't say I'm surprised." Jor-El continued.

"_**When Zor-El tried to assassinate me, Krypto came to my aid and held him off until J'onn J'onzz arrived. Krypto dedicated himself to protect those in my family, and I was forever grateful for his loyalty and companionship."**_

"Did Krypto die when Krypton was destroyed?" Clark asked painfully. He dreaded that his father would say that he did, but to Clark's surprise, Jor-El said the opposite.

"_**When it became clear that Krypton was breaking apart from the war, I began designing the ship that would take you to Earth. I had made a prototype, similar to the one you traveled in, and chose Krypto as it's occupant."**_

Clark interrupted. "You sent Krypto into space just like that? Didn't it occur to you that he would rather stay to protect his family instead of being a test subject?!" he shouted. _**"Krypto accepted on his own free will. He was willing to do anything to ensure your safe journey to Earth, just as I was.**_

"_**The plan was to test the ship's operating systems and it's engines, and then bring Krypto back. The tests proved successful, but something went wrong. Krypto's ship was knocked off course by a passing asteroid. It then drifted into space, and I was forced to believe that he was gone forever."**_

"Until his ship crashed here on Earth." Clark finished with a growing smile. He was ecstatic that another member of his Kryptonian family somehow made it to Earth safe and sound, just like Kara did.

"_**Kal-El, if Krypto has indeed made it to Earth, then you must find him before anyone else does. His survival depends on you, my son."**_ Clark nodded. "I'll make sure nothing happens to him. Thanks for telling me about him." Clark then flew out of the Fortress to rendezvous with Kara.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Lois and the white dog had just arrived at the farm. The dog was barking excitedly when he got of Lois' car. "I guess you do like it here, don't you?" she asked humorously.

Lois knocked on the door, but nobody answered. "Well, I guess it's just you and me." They around to the barn. The dog was exploring everything with great curiosity. A moment later, Shelby walked in from the backyard.

When Shelby saw the white dog, it growled a little. The white dog did the same at the sight of Shelby. They probably would have attacked each other, had Lois not intervened.

"Down boys! There will be no canine brawling on my watch, understand?" Lois commanded. The white dog stopped growing and sat on the ground, along with Shelby. However, they continued to stare at each other.

Lois then got out her cell phone. She planned to call Oliver and ask him to tell Steel that she found a dog that might belong to him. Before she could speed dial, she saw Chloe outside the barn.

"Chloe?" Lois asked. Chloe jumped when she saw her cousin. "Um, hi Lois. I thought Clark might be here." she said timidly. Lois shrugged. "So did I, but I decided to hang out here for a while." As Chloe walked in, she saw both dogs eyeing each other.

"Where did that other dog come from?" Chloe asked, indicating the white dog sitting across from Lois. "We crossed paths on the streets outside the Daily Planet. I noticed it belonged to someone so I thought I'd puppy sit him until Clark or Kara get back." Chloe nodded, not looking at Lois.

"That's nice." They were silent for a moment. Suddenly, Lois walked to Chloe and hugged her. Chloe was surprised by this sudden action. "Chloe, I'm so sorry for what happened earlier. You were right; I shouldn't have questioned you about Brian. Can you forgive me, cuz?"

Chloe smiled and hugged her back. "Thank you Lois, and I'm sorry for blowing up like a bomb at you. You're my cousin, and my Maiden of Honor, and I shouldn't hold any hateful feelings towards you. Are we cool?"

Lois smiled as she released Chloe. "Yeah, we're cool." Chloe smiled back. "Listen Chloe, if you want to talk about anything with me, anything at all, you can trust me with it. You can trust me, can you?"

Lois wanted to ask Chloe about her being a meteor freak, but she decided it would be better if Chloe told her herself…unless Jimmy tells her that Lois already knows, that is. "Of course I can trust you, Lois. Does this mean that you'll stop asking me about Brian's mysterious double act?"

Her cousin nodded. "Unless it's about his health, then yes." They hugged again. "Want to keep me company?" Lois asked. Chloe chuckled. "No thanks, I'll head back and try to call Clark or Kara."

Just as she said their names, Clark and Kara walked into the barn. They stopped when they saw Lois, Chloe, and the two dogs. "Hey, if it isn't the Kent cousins…home from work." Lois said. Clark smiled.

"Nice to see you too, Lois. And you Chloe." "Clark told me about your fight. Is everything okay now?" Kara asked. Both of them nodded. "Yeah Kara, we've made up. We're fine now." Chloe said.

Lois then walked up to Clark. "I was glad you and Kara made it back, I didn't want to stay around those dogs much longer…allergies, you know." Clark laughed. "I understand Lois." "Can you do me a huge favor and watch that white dog until it's owner comes and picks it up?" Lois asked.

Clark and Kara looked at the white dog, and the dog stared back at them. Clark thought he saw excitement in the dog's eyes while it was wagging it's tail, but ignored it. "Uh, sure." he said.

"Great. See ya tomorrow." Lois said as she walked back to her car and rode away. Grateful that they were alone, they finally talked openly. "So, what did you guys find out?" Chloe asked.

Kara told her about the ship in Antarctica and that it contained a Kryptonian dog. Clark confirmed it with what he learned from Jor-El. Chloe was thunderstruck. "A Kryptonian dog?! Are you guys serious?" Chloe asked.

"I didn't want to believe it either, but it's true. After I talked to Jor-El, I helped Kara to try and find Krypto, but we've had no luck." "We've searched every possible place a stray dog can be, but we've seen nothing out of the ordinary." Kara said frustratingly.

"Do any of you know what Krypto looks like?" Chloe asked. They shook their heads. "Jor-El didn't tell me what Krypto looked like, but we did find some of his hairs inside the ship." Clark then took the hairs from his pocket and showed them to Chloe.

She saw that they were white. Chloe had a strange thought. "So, Krypto is basically a white dog?" she asked. "That's what we were thinking. But like we said, we found nothing." Kara said. She then thought of an odd idea

"Guys, I don't think Krypto is as far as you think." Clark and Kara looked confused. "What do you mean?" Kara asked. Chloe turned to the white dog, who was still shaking with excitement. Clark and Kara were puzzled; to them it seemed the dog was waiting for something.

Clark was the first to catch on. "Are you saying that _that _dog…is Krypto?" He asked as he looked at the dog. Chloe shrugged. "Only one way to find out. Call him." she suggested.

Crouching on his knees, Clark continued to stare at the white dog. Kara, Chloe and Shelby were all watching to see if Clark was right. Clark held out his hand. "Krypto…come here." he calmly instructed.

That did it; the instant Clark finished, the dog barked once and ran super fast and slammed Clark into the dirt, licking him like crazy. Clark was laughing as Krypto licked him, with Kara and Chloe laughing with him.

Krypto was happy to be finally reunited with the member of the House of El he loved the most. Shelby walked and stood beside Kara, and not making a sound. Kara heard a small growl from Shelby.

She kneeled down and petted him. "It's alright Shelby; Krypto is just an old friend from Clark's paternal family. Don't be jealous; just because Clark and Krypto are reunited that Clark will forget about you. He loves you too. Will you and Krypto try to get along?" she asked.

Shelby looked at her and grunted. Kara chuckled. "I guess that's a maybe." They looked back at Clark and Krypto. "Hey, I'm happy to see you too, boy! Now down, please! Down!" Clark said as Krypto continued to smother him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

"It had better be worth the wait, Professor." Lucas said as he walked into a room with a huge container standing up on the wall. A deformed looking man, who was with Lucas, answered with pride.

"Trust me, Mr. Luthor, you will be most pleased about my creation. It will do the task that you wish it too carry out." Still skeptical, Lucas watched as the deformed doctor opened the container. What Lucas saw made him smile.

Inside the container was a huge, muscled man. He wore half a green jump suit that reached from his feet to his torso. He also large bracelets of the same color on each wrist. He would've passed for human except he had pointed ears and a red skullcap.

The moment the container exposed it's occupant, the thing's eyes opened, and they were the same blood red as the skullcap. It stepped out of the container and stood before it's creator and Lucas.

"Those powers of his that you mentioned, do they work?" Lucas asked. The disfigured man nodded earnestly. "Oh yes; all of his systems and capabilities have been tested successfully. No matter what super being he faces, he will crush them."

Lucas nodded. "Is he programmed with his current mission?" Lucas asked. "Yes; as soon as you tell him to, he will find his targets and eliminate them." Ivo said proudly. Lucas finally seemed satisfied.

"Alright, then let's see what he can do." He looked up at the android's eyes. "Your mission is to find Clark Kent and his cousin, Kara Kent. Kill them both." The android nodded and walked out through the exit.

"I will tell my security staff not to attack him." Lucas said. The doctor nodded again. As they watched the titanic machine step out sight, Lucas looked at his associate again. "By the way, Professor Ivo, what's the android's name?"

Professor Ivo's eyes lit with excitement as he said the name:

"Amazo."

To be continued.


	22. Chapter 21 Android

Hey! A few of you may not have enjoyed my last chapter, but I hope you will like this chapter a lot more! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 21: Android

Kent Farm:

Clark was playing fetch with both Shelby and Krypto…in turns. The two dogs seem to be in competition for Clark's affection. While Shelby fetches well for a normal dog, Krypto couldn't resist showing off when he brings back the ball in a split second while at the same time, does a loop in the air.

"Good boy." Clark said as Krypto brought back the ball. They had been playing for a while now after Lois had left. Clark then saw that both dogs were barking for him to throw the ball again. He knew that they were competing for him.

"Listen guys, your both part of my family; I love one of you just as much as the other. So there's no need to fight over me. Can you two try to get along and share me?" he asked humorously.

Both dogs stared at one another with dislike, but they seemed to agree; Krypto nodded, and Shelby made a small bark. Clark smiled and patted both their heads. "That's better." Just then, Kara came out.

"Having fun with the dogs?" she asked jokingly. Clark turned to her with a smile. "They enjoy proving which of them I like more. I told them to give it a break and try to be nice toward one another. What's up?"

"I just finished examining the log in Krypto's ship. Apparently, Krypto was just passing Earth when an energy beam of some kind knocked out it's engines and caused it to crash here. The logs indicated that it happened exactly a month ago."

Clark's eyes widened. "That was around the time that you, me, and Brainiac 5 were trying to get Lucy back. Before you arrived, I deflected one of Lucy's energy blasts away from Brainiac 5 towards the sky. That must have been the beam that hit Krypto's ship! That means…it's because of _me_ that he's here!"

Kara smiled. "Sounds like it was meant to be. I woke up from my ship when you and that phantom broke Reeve's Dam, and now you brought Krypto down from space when we faced scarab-possessed Lucy.

"You brought what's left of your family from Krypton back together here on Earth; must be destiny." Clark smiled back from her reply. "Destiny…it rules our family, doesn't it?" he said, causing both him and Kara to laugh.

When the laughter stopped, Clark's cell rang. "Hello?" Clark said when he picked up. _"It's Oliver. You and Kara better suit up; there's a big guy breaking all hell loose in downtown Metropolis. The police couldn't even scratch him."_

Clark nodded. "Can you and the others meet us there?" Clark asked. _"No can do; the rest of the team is at different parts of the world, and you and Kara are the only ones who're tough enough to bring this Hulk wannabe down. Can you two handle it?"_

Clark looked grim. "I think so. Thanks for telling me." He then hung up and looked at Kara, who looked serious. "Trouble?" she asked. Clark looked towards the direction of the city, where he could see smoke rising.

"Big trouble."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis:

Police cars, trucks, SUVs, you name it…they're littered all over the streets, broken and in pieces. Many of the destroyed vehicles were on fire. People were running and screaming from the large figure walking out of a thick cloud of smoke.

It was Amazo; the android that Professor Ivo unleashed to find and kill Clark and Kara. He was causing all kinds of chaos. The machine hoped that the destruction would bring out his targets.

He picks up a broken police car and hurls it nearby bank, breaking the walls and the glass windows. In all of that time, he never felt any remorse for the innocent people he was attacking; he only cared about his mission.

Just when Amazo was about to punch through an injured police man's head, he heard the voices of the ones he wanted to show up. "Whoever you are, stop this! You're attacking these people!" Steel yelled.

Amazo smiled as he turned around to see Steel and Power Girl. When he saw them, he immediately scanned them to learn what he needed to know. "Come along peacefully, and there won't be any trouble." Power Girl said.

Amazo shook his head. "The trouble has just begun." Before Steel or Power Girl could do anything, Amazo ran super fast and slammed his fist at Steel's face, causing him to fly into a tow truck a few blocks away.

Shocked as Power Girl was by the androids power, she punched Amazo as hard as she could. But her blow didn't even make him flinch, which shocked her even more. Amazo grabbed her wrist and threw her right at where Steel ended up.

The Kryptonian duo got back up slowly. "Are you okay?" Power Girl asked painfully. "Same as you." he replied. Steel rubbed his jaw, while Power Girl was massaging her wrist.

"That guy is _strong_; probably as strong as Kalibak." Power Girl said. "Maybe stronger; Kalibak never hit me _that_ hard." "I'm much more powerful than both of you combined." said the android, who surprised the pair again the instant he appeared.

"Who, or what, the hell are you?!" Steel asked. "I am Amazo; an android built by Professor Ivo to kill you both." he said with a sinister smile. The cousins were even more shocked. "Why us?!" Power Girl asked, starting to feel afraid.

"It is my mission." Amazo said as he grabbed their throats. "How can you…be so…strong?" Steel barely breathed out. Amazo continued smiling.

"I'm not just strong; I have _all_ of your powers, which have been greatly enhanced by my programming. I acquired them when I scanned you both just a moment ago." he answered with pride. Steel and Power Girl were horrorstruck by the android's abilities.

Amazo then threw them both through several buildings in the city, and he flew after them. The pair landed at a warehouse at the docks. The building nearly collapsed by the impact they've made.

"This is not good, Clark. That bucket of bolts has our powers and he's going to use them to kill us! How can we beat him?!" Power Girl asked as they slowly got back up again.

"I have no idea. If Brainiac 5 was conscious, he could shut him down." Steel replied. "But he's still out cold! He can't help us." she said painfully. They looked up as the roof of the warehouse burst open to see Amazo fly in.

"Please do get back up…the fun's just beginning."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

Chloe had just returned from a meeting at the Isis Foundation, which went pretty well. She found Lois and Lucy in a heated argument. "What are you two arguing about?" Chloe asked.

Lucy sighed. "I was telling Lois that I want a specific job, and she's totally against it." "That's because I just got you back and you are not flying anywhere else, first class or not." Lois said, clearly angry.

"Flying? Are you thinking of becoming a fighter pilot?" Chloe asked. Lucy shook her head and chuckled. "No; I want to apply to be a flight attendant." Chloe raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Why the sudden interest in serving on airplanes?" she asked. "It's not the serving part…it's the flying. This past month, I've had strange dreams about flying across the planet. I don't understand where they came from, but I actually enjoyed them."

Chloe and Lois looked awkward; they both guessed how she got those dreams. "Those dreams kinda got me thinking about doing something that involved flying…and I thought, what better occupation than a flight attendant?" Lucy answered with a smile.

Before Chloe could say anything, Lois butted in. "I can think of anything better…as long as it's on the ground." Lucy sighed again. "Come on Lo; you've flown a lot of times before…"

"That's _me_…we're talking about _you_. What if some nutcase decides to do a 9/11 on the plane that you are working on? You would be a hostage and you wouldn't be able to do a thing! You'd be…"

"That won't happen, Lois! You're just being to paranoid." Lucy countered. Lois sighed herself. "Listen sis, bottom line…you are not going to work on an airplane. And I'm sure dad wouldn't approve either."

Lucy smiled, which surprised Lois and Chloe. "I talked with dad about it last week…and he pretty much said the same thing. But with a little persuasion, and a hell of a lot of patience, he finally agreed…as long as it's an airline he can trust."

Lois' mouth dropped. "Dad…_our_ dad…is letting you apply for the job?!" she asked incredulously. "Yep; the airline I'm planning to apply to is right outside of Metropolis." Lucy said proudly.

"Why didn't he tell me about this?!" Lois asked. "I told dad that I'd tell you myself." Lucy replied. Lois, still shocked, looked more angry than ever. "I don't know what the hell dad was thinking, but I certainly don't approve of…"

Chloe was just about to argue to Lois about her attitude, but someone else beat her to the punch. "If Lucy wants to do something she likes, and if her dad approves, then I don't think it's right for you to stop her." said a familiar voice.

Chloe, Lois, and Lucy turned to see Brainiac 5, standing outside his bedroom. He looked a little annoyed, but seemed okay. "Brian, you're awake!" Chloe said happily as she hugged him.

The Lane sisters smiled as they got up and hugged him also. Lois and Lucy had different feelings when they saw him. Lucy had not forgotten what happened in the desert and was strange seeing him in a new light, like a stranger. She didn't know if she should talk to him about that battle or not.

Lois felt conflicted. Ever since she heard Lucy's account of the desert battle, and when she found that photo of Brian in Coast City, she questioned about his normalcy. She would've to talk him about later, but she promised Chloe that she would drop it.

"How are you feeling, cuz?" Lucy asked. Brainiac 5 smiled back. "I'm fine; just woke up a minute ago…and heard that loud argument." Lois and Lucy bent their heads a little.

"Sorry about that, Brian. We didn't mean for our fight to be your alarm clock." Lois apologized. Brainiac 5 shook his head. "Don't worry about it. How long was I out?" The girls didn't reply right away.

"You've been unconscious for a month." Chloe finally said. Brainiac 5 looked shocked. "A month?! You have to kidding!" he said. Chloe shook her head. "You were hit pretty hard."

Brainiac 5 shook of his surprise and turned to Lois. "Anyway, Lois; if your sister wants to take up that job, you should at least let her see if she can do it. If she doesn't do well, she can find something else. If she does, you'll have to accept it was meant for her."

His words seemed to have an impact on Lois. She still looked reluctant, but she nodded. "Fine; I'll drive Lucy to that airport later to fill out an application, and we'll see what happens next." Lucy then hugged her. "Thanks Lo."

"Glad to hear that you two are finally agreeing on this. Say, I need to talk to Brian alone. Do you two mind?" Her cousins shrugged. "Sure, you two need to catch up. We'll just watch the news." Lucy said.

Chloe and Brainiac 5 walked into Chloe's bedroom and closed the door. When she turned back to him, she seemed a lot more serious. "Seriously, are you really alright Brainy? Kara said that Kalibak gave you a good zapping in that desert."

Brainiac 5 looked surprised again. "Kalibak?! He was there?" Chloe looked surprised too. "You know about him?" she asked. Brainiac 5 nodded. "He's Darkseid's son and second-in-command of his forces on Apokolips."

Chloe was shocked even more. "Darkseid has a son? Brainiac 5 nodded. "His first born. But enough about that, what happened in the desert after I fell? I saw that I was successful in freeing Lucy, but what else happened?"

Chloe hesitated. "Maybe you should talk to Clark and Kara about that; after all, they were actually there." Brainiac 5 nodded again. "I guess you're right. But what happened after the battle?"

"A lot has happened during your little nap. Tell you what, we can head over to the farm and let Clark and Kara do all the talking." Brainiac 5 agreed. "That sounds good." "I'll give Clark a call and tell them you're up and about again."

Chloe then got out her phone and speed dialed Clark's phone, but no answer came. "What's wrong?" Brainiac 5 asked. Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Huh, he didn't pick up; he usually does. I'll try Kara."

Brainiac 5 was looking forward to hear Kara's voice again. However, he was disappointed that Chloe didn't get in touch with her also. "No, couldn't reach her either. Hope nothing's wrong." she said.

Brainiac 5 looked disappointed. "Maybe we should pay them a surprise visit." he suggested. Chloe nodded. "Alright, let's go." Just as she was about to open the door, Lucy did it for her.

"Guys, check out the news! Some psycho is attacking the city!" Lucy said in a panic. Concerned, Chloe and Brainiac 5 ran towards Lois and listened to the newscaster on the screen.

"_Just a while ago, a huge man-like monster appeared out of nowhere and attacked everything it saw. The local authorities have tried to subdue him, but with no success. The damage is devastating; nothing like this has been seen since Dark Thursday._

_But recently, two people in costumes tried to stop the beast, but he threw them around like rag dolls. All three of them have disappeared and are apparently not anywhere in Metropolis. No one knows who any of these people were…"_

Lois had turned it off, having heard enough. "I'll bet you anything it was Steel and Power Girl who tried to tango with this brute. They're probably fighting him right now, somewhere outside the city."

The other three were shocked, especially Chloe and Brainiac 5. "Will they be alright?" Lucy asked. Lois put a hand on her shoulder. "They were tough enough to bring you back, they can handle who or what they're fighting now." she said confidently.

Chloe and Brainiac 5 walked away towards the bedroom again while Lois was comforting Lucy. "From the sound of it, Clark and Kara are tackling Kalibak again." Chloe said.

"We don't know if it's Kalibak. But whoever it is, it will be a tough battle." Chloe nodded. "Maybe you can give them a hand." she suggested. Brainiac 5 looked eager. "I'd love to get back into the action, but I have no idea where they are or how to find them."

Chloe then smiled. "Sounds like what you need…is a super blood hound." Brainiac 5 looked confused. "Where are we going to find one around here?" he asked. Chloe continued to smile. "On the Kent Farm." Brainiac 5 looked surprised by her answer.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Antarctica:

Steel and Power Girl had flown towards the south pole; the best place to face Amazo without endangering anyone. However, that doesn't change that fact that the android still has an overwhelming advantage over them.

Just as they had arrived, Amazo appeared instantly in front of them; his speed was definitely far greater than theirs. The Kryptonian cousins were not having a good day to say the least.

Before any of them could try to attack, Amazo grabbed their heads, squeezed tightly, and threw them both down into the icy surface below. The impact shook the whole continent; the ice was cracking and breaking apart everywhere and the local wildlife high tailed it out of there.

Amazo floated down and landed on his feet, arms crossing. "Come on…I know you two are still alive." he said arrogantly. He stared at the spots where his victims had crashed, but they did not resurface.

He smirked when he heard a loud crack of ice behind him, along with a yell. Steel had tunneled beneath the surface and tried a sneak attack. It did not work; Amazo vanished a split second before Steel's fist could hit him.

Steel was looking frantically for him. He then felt an extremely painful punch in the back, causing him to scream loudly. Amazo laughed as he watched Steel groan while getting back up. Amazo kicked him in the stomach and sent him several yards.

"Heh…pathetic." remarked the android. As he approached Steel to attack again, Power Girl broke apart from right under his feet and fired a huge blast of her heat vision. She thought she had got him…only to be horrified that it did no damage at all.

Amazo merely looked down at her, still smirking. "Nice try, but my invulnerability is also greater than yours." He then fired his own heat vision at Power Girl, who barely managed to dodge in time by flying up.

The android beat her to the punch as he grabbed her hair and repeatedly punched her in the face and gut. "KARA!!" Steel yelled as he watched his cousin taking a pounding. With his willpower, he forced himself to fly up to them.

Amazo saw Steel coming and decided to throw Power Girl back at him. The both of them got slammed into the ice again, causing another quake. The powerful android floated there, crossing his arms again and laughed.

"You two are finished; I was designed to be the ultimate weapon! Not even you are a match for me!" he said as he descended towards the ground. Steel and Power Girl crawled out of the ice, badly bruised and bleeding.

Steel's costume was badly torn, his shades were broken, and he was bleeding from the lip. Power Girl's injuries were far worse. She then coughed up some blood, which made her cousin more concerned than ever.

"It's no use…we just…can't beat him." Power Girl said as she coughed more and shaking badly. Steel was forced to agree. "No matter what we do…he just continues to…beat us down." Their vision blurred as Amazo walked slowly towards them.

"Any last minute ideas?" Power Girl asked weakly. Steel struggled to get back up once more. "Let's both fire our heat vision at the same time…full power. That might damage him." he answered, not sure it would work.

As Amazo got closer, Power Girl was on her feet again also. "Alright…let's fry that tin can!" she replied eagerly. At once, Steel and Power Girl fired their strongest blasts of heat vision ever straight at the evil android.

Amazo, still smirking, stopped walking and fired his heat vision again, which was twice as big as the combined blast that was heading his way. The bigger blast quickly broke through the other and hit the Kryptonians head on.

When the blast dissipated, Steel and Power Girl barely stood there, smoking and their costumes almost gone. Steel's chest, and his right leg, were completely exposed. Power Girl's arms were exposed, but the chest part still remained.

A moment later, they both fell face first into the snow, completely beaten. Amazo shook his head as he picked them both up by their throats and began squeezing out the little life they had left.

"I told you…it's impossible to defeat me. It's over." Steel and Power Girl tried to pry themselves free, but they were too weak. They choked as Amazo closed his hands tighter. Amazo was enjoying the moment as he watched them struggle.

Just when the android thought he'd won, he felt a strong blow to the gut. The unexpected attack nearly knocked the wind out of him and almost made him release his victims. He looked down to see what had dared attacked him.

He was dumbstruck to find Krypto, barking madly at him. "What is a mutt doing all the way out here? And how did it hit me so hard that I actually noticed it?" Amazo asked himself.

"He's here to help out…and so am I!" said another voice right above him. Amazo looked up to see Brainiac 5 floating above him, much to his surprise, and to the surprise of Steel and Power Girl. Before Amazo could do anything else, Brainiac 5 slammed his hand onto the android's chest.

Amazo felt a tremendous shock as he let out a ear splitting scream. He suddenly felt all his systems going off line as he let go of Steel and Power Girl. Amazo's scream began to fade as Brainiac 5 continued to shut down.

A moment later, Amazo went completely silent and fell backwards in the snow. Krypto immediately began licking Clark like crazy, while Kara got back up and hugged Brainiac 5, who hugged back.

When they broke apart, Kara couldn't believe her eyes. "Brainiac 5...you're finally back! I can't believe it! I've missed you so much!" Her boyfriend smiled back. "I've missed you too, Kara." She then began kissing him big time.

Once Krypto had calmed down, Clark got up and patted Brainiac 5 on the shoulder, causing the kiss to brake apart. "It's great to have you back, pal. Your timing couldn't have been better. Thanks." he said appreciatively. Brainiac 5 nodded.

"It's good to be back, Clark. When Chloe and I found out what happened in Metropolis, we both knew you guys needed help. She then told me about Krypto, and thanks to his super sense of smell, we flew right toward you."

Clark and Kara smiled back. "Thanks for saving us." Kara said. "I owed you guys from the Sierra Madres battle; Chloe didn't give me all the details, but I pretty much figured you guys pulled my butt out of the fire." Brainiac 5 replied.

The cousins nodded. "We'll fill you in back home." Kara said. "Wait Kara, remember the name of the guy that made Amazo?" Clark asked. Kara nodded, and looked angry.

"Yeah…Professor Ivo. He sent that bucket brain to kill us! He's not going to get away with it!" "He won't; when we get back home, we'll change into our spare costumes, find out where Ivo is and pay him a little visit." Clark said grimly.

"What about _him_?" Brainiac 5 asked, referring to Amazo. "I'll bury him deep beneath the ice; that way, no one will ever find him and reactivate him." Clark said. Though weak as he was, he began burying Amazo into the spot that Krypto's ship was discovered.

While Clark was burying Amazo, Kara talked with Brainiac 5 again. "Are you really alright? I was so scared that you may never wake up again." Brainiac 5 smiled once more as he closed his eyes and hugged her. "I'm fine, Kara."

Since his back was toward everyone else's when he hugged Kara, no one saw that when he opened his eyes again the green that was usually there turned pitch black. His smile became bigger as well.

"I'm _just_ fine."

To be continued.


	23. Chapter 22 Traiter

Hey! Sorry for not updating last week; came down with a cold, but I'm all better! Here is the next amazing chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 22: Traiter

Ivo's Lab:

Professor Ivo was making some calculations on his computer. He was becoming impatient; he waited for his android, Amazo, to return and tell him that the targets were eliminated. Ivo had been waiting for about 2 hours. So far, though, he had not arrived.

Ivo hit his keyboard in frustration. "What is keeping my creation so long? He should have returned by now!" Just as he said that, he heard his door being smashed open. When Ivo turned to see what it was, he paled in fear.

Steel and Power Girl, in their spare costumes, stood right where Ivo's door used to be. They did not look very happy at the moment, and for good reason.

"Professor Ivo, is it?" Steel asked in a threatening voice. Ivo had trouble speaking at the sight of his unexpected visitors. "You?! But…you two should be dead! Where is Amazo?" he asked in terror.

"Your android has been _shut down_." Power Girl answered angrily. Ivo tried to make a run for it, but Steel instantly appeared in front of him and held him to the wall. "You're not going anywhere!" he shouted.

"We've got questions, and if you don't tell us the right answers…you'll end up like your robot." Power Girl said as she approached. Ivo was petrified by now. "How…how was it possible for you to defeat Amazo?!"

"Let's just say we had help. Now it's your turn to answer." Steel said. Seeing as he no means of escape, and that he could possibly be flattened into a pancake, Ivo finally agreed. "Alright! I'll tell you anything, just don't hurt me!" he said pitifully.

Steel and Power Girl smirked. "First of all, why did you send Amazo to kill me and Power Girl?" Steel asked. Ivo continued to shake. "I was paid to do it! I was ordered to build something that was powerful enough to kill both of you!" he answered.

"Who told you to do that?" Steel asked. Ivo hesitated. "Tell us!" Power Girl ordered. Finally he spilled the beans. "It was Lucas Luthor. He told me that you two are a pain in the ass and that he wanted you two out of the way, so he came to me."

Somehow, the Kryptonian cousins were not surprised. "Should've known." Power Girl said softly. Steel nodded in agreement. "What else did he tell you?" he asked. Ivo didn't hesitate to answer this time.

"Nothing else of great importance…just that he knows who you _really_ are." This time, the duo was shocked. "What do you mean?" Power Girl asked. Ivo actually smiled a bit now.

"I mean that he knows your real names." Ivo clarified. Steel sneered as he tightened his grip on Ivo's shirt. "How could he know _anything_ about us?" he asked furiously.

"He has seen a security recording of your cousin decorating the Ace of Clubs with Mannheim's men. You see, I had made android replacements of the security guards at the club the night of the incident. They killed the real guards who saw the recording and brought the disks over to me immediately." Ivo answered.

Steel and Power Girl were shocked even more, especially Power Girl. Ivo continued. "It was a messy affair, but eventually the tapes arrived on my lap. Once I had verified it's authenticity, I had them shipped to Lucas at once."

Power Girl suddenly grabbed Ivo's throat. She was pissed off. "Why the hell would you give that information to Lucas?!" she asked furiously. Ivo choked a bit from her grip.

"I…was already…working for him…by then (cough)." "Let go." Steel said to his cousin. Power Girl looked at him and, reluctantly, released Ivo's neck. Ivo breathed deeply for some much needed air.

"Why did you put androids in the Ace of Clubs that night?" Steel asked a moment later. Once Ivo had gotten his breath back, he answered. "Lucas told me about Lucy Lane and that she was hiding from Intergang. He ordered me to put some of my androids in the club and keep a watch for her."

"Did he also tell you about why he was after her?" Power Girl asked, still angry. Ivo shook his head. "No; he never told me why he wanted her. He just said to keep an eye out for her, that's all." Steel and Power Girl already knew about the scarab, but clearly their captive didn't.

"Did Lucas use that information from the club in any way?" Steel inquired further. Ivo suddenly looked afraid again. "Well, he did arrange one little operation…" Ivo said in a terrified voice. "What was it?" Steel asked, his face closer to Ivo's.

"If I tell you…you'll just kill me." Ivo responded. "You better answer, unless you want to have me deprive you of oxygen again." Power Girl said threateningly. Ivo gulped and gave in.

"Alright. After he saw the Ace of Clubs recording, Lucas hired Rick to kidnap Martha Kent and ordered him to send that satellite spiraling down towards Washington D.C.." Steel and Power Girl were shocked once again, but Steel was more angry than shocked. Ivo continued.

"Lucas had Rick take full credit for the kidnapping before killing himself so that you wouldn't suspect that he wasn't the real brains behind it." Abandoning all restraint, Steel slammed Ivo onto the floor, hard. Ivo groaned in agony.

"Why did Lucas do that?! Tell me!!" Steel ordered, completely outraged. Trying to ignore the pain, Ivo answered again. "It was a test to see if you and your cousin really were the ones interfering in his plans."

Steel was so full of anger towards both Ivo and Lucas at that moment. It was very hard for him at the time to not kill Ivo there and then. "One last question then: What is Lucas up to? Why is he robbing from Queen Industries?" Power Girl asked.

Ivo shook his head. "I don't know! He never told me anything other than to build my android to destroy you! I don't know anything else, I swear!" Ivo said in a panic.

"Are you sure that's all?" Steel asked, still angry. Ivo said nothing more, for he feinted from fear. Steel finally released him, letting him just lie there. He turned away, breathing hard from fury.

Kara, finally calm from her burst of rage, tried to calm her cousin. "Clark, I'm so sorry. This was all my fault." she said softly. Clark turned back to her, confused. "How is any of this your fault, Kara?" he asked.

"If I hadn't used my powers at the Ace of Clubs that night, none of his would've happened. Your mother wouldn't have been kidnapped and we never would've had to fight Amazo." Kara replied with regret.

Clark had put a hand on her shoulder. "You weren't yourself back then, remember? What's done is done; I don't blame you for any of it." he said. Kara smiled. She then looked back at Ivo.

"What do we do? Lucas knows our secret now! He's more of a threat than ever!" Kara said in worry. Clark nodded. "I know. We'll think of something. First things first, let's have J'onn erase Ivo's memory of our identities and then we'll take Ivo into custody…I'm sure the police wouldn't mind locking up the madman who invented the android that attacked Metropolis." he said.

Kara nodded in agreement. "You're right. And after we put this imp behind bars?" "Then we will talk to Chloe, Oliver, and Brainiac 5. Maybe they can help us find a solution."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Isis Foundation:

Chloe had just finished a session with other meteor infected people like herself. She went to take a breather on the staff table. Just then, Brainiac 5 walked in. "How did it go?" he asked.

Chloe smiled. "All in all, it seemed to go well. There were a few cases that are still afraid of being considered "freaks", but I think I'm starting to get through to them." she replied.

Brainiac 5 smiled back. "I think it is great that you are trying to help people come to terms with what they are. It helps them feel…liberated." he said in unusual tone. Chloe noticed and felt curious. "Is something on your mind?"

Brainiac 5 shook his head. "No; it's nothing." Before she could ask more, she got a call on her cell and saw that it was from Clark. "Hey Clark, you and Kara find Ivo?" Chloe tensed up after she heard what Clark had said.

"Alright, I'll be there in a bit. Thanks for filling me in." Brainiac 5 looked curious himself. "Is everything alright?" he asked. "No; we got a big problem. Clark and Kara are at Oliver's waiting for me. Can you hold down the fort while I'm gone?"

He nodded. "Thanks. I'll call you to meet us at the farm later." Chloe said as she walked out. As soon as Chloe left, Brainiac 5 smiled suspiciously and walked towards the Isis computer room and closed the door behind him.

"Finally, I thought she'd _never_ leave." He then placed his hands on the keyboard and began hacking using his inherited powers. Images flashed across all the monitors in the room as he searched for his targets while his eyes blackened once again.

He was so focused on his objective, he didn't hear Lois walk into the staff room. "Chloe? Are ya in here cuz? I want to talk to you about Lucy's job interview." Lois said. She then heard some beeping from behind the door that led into the computer room.

Thinking that Chloe was inside, Lois slid the doors open. She was surprised to find Brainiac 5 in there instead. Her mouth fell open in shock at the screens that flashed for several seconds before settling on extremely shocking images. She knew there and then that her previous hunch about him was correct; he was _not_ normal.

"_Brian_?" she asked, stunned. Brainiac 5 instantly turned around, facing Lois. Lois gasped even more when she saw his blackened eyes. "Oh my god! You _are_ meteor infected!" she said with shock.

Brainiac 5 gave a nasty smile as he slowly walked towards Lois. "Me, a pathetic meteor freak? I am _so_ much more than that." Lois backed up from him as he approached.

"Well, whatever you are, I'm not going let you go through with what you're planning." Lois said determinedly as she walked around the table, still keeping her distance. "What is it do you think I'm planning, Lois?" he asked sinisterly.

"I saw those images in the computer room. It's not hard to guess what it all means." she replied. Brainiac 5 continued to smile. "Then I guess I have no choice." Suddenly, his fingers turned into long metal coils and grabbed Lois.

He held her in place as he drew closer. "How can you do this, Brian?! You're Chloe's brother! She trusted you, we all did!" Lois yelled. Brainiac 5 laughed evilly as he stopped in front of her.

"Humans, so easily fooled." He then threw Lois out the window. He looked down to see Lois fall onto a Mercedes and rolled onto the street, and moved no more. Pleased the she was out of the way, resumed his work in the computer room.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

"So Lucas knows the whole story about you two?" Oliver asked as he listened with growing concern. After Clark and Kara told him and Chloe what Professor Ivo told them, Oliver felt like tearing Lucas apart.

"Well, we don't know if Lucas knows about us being aliens, but he does know about our powers." Kara said. "He had your mom kidnapped just to piss you off. That bastard." Chloe cursed.

Kara held her hands to her face. "All that happened because I was reckless. I'm so sorry for all of it." Clark grabbed Kara's shoulder firmly. "Listen Kara, it was Lucas and Ivo who are to blame, not you."

"Yeah, they are the ones who decided to have you two added to his hit list." Chloe said. Kara looked at them both. "Thanks. But what are we going to do about it?" "I'll ask Bart and Victor to keep an eye your mom, Clark. You know, just in case Lucas goes after her again." Oliver said.

Clark smiled and nodded. "Thanks Oliver; I appreciate that." He then turned to Kara. "As for Lucas, I'm sure he won't be happy when he learns you two trashed Ivo's android. I'll see if I can get those disks that he has, just so that he doesn't get any ideas about taking it to the press." Oliver suggested. The three nodded.

Just then, Chloe's cell phone rang again. "Hello?" she said after she picked up. Chloe paled as she heard the other person talking. "Oh god. Thanks for calling me. I'll be there right away."

The others looked startled as Chloe hung up. "What was all that about?" Kara asked. Chloe shook a little. "It was from Smallville Medical Center. Lois has been badly injured and was rushed there immediately." They all looked shocked from the news.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Smallville Medical Center:

Clark and the others arrived not long after Chloe got the call. When they arrived to the room where Lois was, they saw to their surprise that Lucy was there also. Lucy hugged Chloe when she saw everyone.

"Hey guys. You've all heard, huh?" she asked. They nodded. "Lucy, do you know how this happened?" Chloe asked. Lucy shook her head. "No; Lois just told me to not worry and that she'll pull through…at least that's what the doctors said."

Clark could tell the Lucy was worried about her sister. At that moment, a female doctor approached. "Hi. Are you all here to see Lois Lane?" she asked. "Yes we are; she is my cousin and our friend." Chloe said at once.

"Can we see her?" Clark asked. The doctor nodded. "You may, but be brief; she needs to get plenty of rest." At once the four of them went into Lois' room while Lucy waited in the hallway.

Lois was covered in bandages and had several bruises. It pained them all to see her in this state, but it pained Clark the most. He didn't know why, but seeing Lois like that made him crumble inside. He also had a strong desire for revenge. _'Whoever did this, they are going to wish they hadn't.'_

Lois smiled as she saw all her favorite people. "Well, look who decided to visit the banged up reporter." she said jokingly. Chloe hugged her carefully. "How are you holding up?" she asked.

"Just dandy. The doctors said the injuries were severe but nothing a week or two in here won't cure." "A few weeks?" Oliver asked in surprise. "Yep. Crashing through a window, falling a few stories and landing hard a car can really do a number on you."

"Is that what happened at the Isis Foundation?" Clark asked. Lois nodded. "Lois, did Lucas do this to you?" Oliver asked determinedly. Clark's eyes widened a bit from hearing that question.

If Lucas attacked Lois so soon after his mother was kidnapped, Lucas must have figured that she and Clark were close friends and had her attacked as payback for Amazo's failure. To his surprise, and relief, she said no.

"I wish; if that slime ball did have the guts to do me in, that would make much more sense." The four of them were confused now. "But if Lucas didn't attack you, then do you know who did?" Clark asked.

Lois nodded again. "I know who it was alright. But I don't think any of you will believe me." she said. "Why wouldn't we believe you? Who did this?" Chloe asked. Lois hesitated, knowing that no one will believe what she was about to say.

"It was Brian." Clark, Chloe, Kara, and Oliver had never been so shocked in the past, especially Kara. "_Brian_ tried to kill you? That's ridiculous! He would never hurt anyone!" she retorted in total disbelief.

"I didn't think so either, but his stunt showed a side of him I never saw before." Lois said in worry. "Lois, are you _sure_ it was Brian?" Clark asked for total confirmation. Lois sighed heavily as she answered.

"Positive, Smallville. I walked into the computer room, looking for Chloe, and saw Brian at the computer console. When he looked at me, his eyes…they were completely black. His fingers then turned into tentacle like things and threw me out the window."

Clark and Chloe looked at each other in horror, while Kara was still in a state of disbelief. Oliver couldn't believe what he just heard. "How could he do any of that? He would have to be…not human." Lois chuckled a bit.

"That's exactly what I thought when he went after me. I thought he was another meteor freak, but he claimed he was something else entirely. I don't know what he meant, but he definitely look of a psychopath on his face." Lois said.

Kara still refused to listen. "You're wrong! Brian is NOT a killer!" She then stormed out of the room. Clark shook his head. "She's just upset. Kara will understand once she calms down." he said.

Lois nodded. "I hope so. I didn't mean to piss her off like that." Chloe shook her head. "It's not your fault." Oliver talked again. "Do you know what Brian was doing in the computer room?" Lois' eyes widened as she remembered what she saw.

"Dammit, I almost forgot! Brian was using whatever freaky power he has to hack into our military database. He's…" she gulped. "He's going to launch all the nuclear missiles in the country to hit every capital city in the world!"

The group was completely horrorstruck. "Oh my god." Chloe said to herself. "He can't possibly be that crazy!" Oliver said, horrified. Lois gave him a stern look. "He is, and he's already started the countdown!" "What countdown?" Clark asked.

"Before Brian saw me, I saw a timer on the front monitor…the missiles would launch in 2 hours!" "How long ago was that?" Oliver asked, checking his watch. Lois looked at the clock opposite her.

"That was about an hour ago." "Which means in just 1 hour, all of Earth is going nuclear." Chloe said, afraid. Clark couldn't believe that Brainiac 5 would endanger the planet he was trying to save; it's why he came from the future in the first place.

"Listen, Brian has to be stopped!" Lois insisted, looking at Oliver. Oliver looked at Clark and Chloe, then back at Lois. "He will be. I'll see what I can do." he said with a blink. They all walked out, leaving Lois to recuperate.

Back in the hallway, Kara was still fuming about the shocking news about Brainiac 5. "What did she say? Whatever it was, it's got Kara all pissed off." Lucy said, annoyed by Kara's pacing.

"It's nothing to worry about. Just go back in and keep Lois company." Clark suggested. "Gladly." Lucy said as she went back inside with Lois. Kara then stared at everyone coldly. "What else did she say? And no Clark; I didn't eaves drop this time!" Kara said when she saw that Clark was about to speak.

"It's a lot worse than you think."

To be continued.


	24. Chapter 23 Virus

Hey! My last chapter really got you all surprised, I bet. Can Clark and Kara save their future friend from whatever is wrong with him? Find out now!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 23: Virus

Smallville Medical Center:

"He is doing WHAT?!" Kara shouted. After Clark told her what the group heard from Lois about Brainiac 5's current plan, Kara really lost it. "No…I don't believe ANY of this!! It just can't be true!!" Kara then turned away, angry and hurt.

Clark cautiously laid on hand on Kara's shoulder. "We don't want to believe it either, Kara. But Lois would never lie about something _this_ extreme. Me, Chloe, and Oliver have known her long enough to know that she's always honest about a crisis."

After a moment, Kara slowly turned around and nodded. "You're right; Lois has been honest in the past. It would stupid of me to doubt her now." Chloe and Oliver nodded in agreement. Kara took a deep breath to calm herself.

"So, what are we going to do? How are we going to stop the countdown?" she asked. Clark turned to Chloe. "Do you think you can stop the missiles from being launched?" he asked. Chloe didn't look so sure.

"I don't know; that's a tough call." "I'll call Victor to come and see if he can pull the plug on your insane brother's scheme; he should be in town right now." Oliver said as he walked away and took out his cell phone. Chloe looked a little hurt when he said her "brother" was insane.

When he was out of earshot, the gang really talked. "What I _really_ want to know is how Brainiac 5 got this way. We all know he is not the psychopathic type." Chloe said. Clark answered immediately.

"I think I know." The girls turned to him, waiting for the answer. "When Brainiac 5 and I talked in the barn the night he was kidnapped, he told me that he and his ancestor shared a primary code of some sort. That code constantly connected them. When I heard that, I feared that his time here might leave himself vulnerable to corruption by Brainiac…and it looks like I was right." he said in sorrow.

"But he has been able to fight it before, so why is now any different?" Chloe asked. Kara answered this time. "When Kalibak attacked him, Brainiac 5's mental defenses must have been weakened. And this past month, Brainiac must have slowly been taking over while Brainiac 5 was unconscious, like a virus; Brainiac 5 must have been trying to fight him off that whole time."

"But it looks like he lost that battle." Clark finished. They all became silent, thinking about their next move. A moment later, Oliver came back. "Were you able to hold of Victor?" Clark asked. Oliver nodded.

"He's heading to the Isis Foundation right now to sort out the problem." he said. "Can he stop the countdown?" Kara asked. Oliver didn't look so sure. "I hope so; Victor's the only man we got to pull this off…unless you guys can snap Brian back into his senses and convince him to shut it down." he replied.

Clark nodded. He then turned to Chloe. "Chloe, you stay here with Lois and Lucy. The rest of us will meet Victor at the Isis Foundation. If Brian is still there, things could get ugly. We don't want you in harm's way." Chloe nodded, understanding the danger.

"Be careful guys." Clark, Kara, and Oliver then walked out. After they had left, Chloe walked back into Lois' room, where Lois and Lucy were talking. Lois turned to Chloe, suddenly alert.

"What did you guys decide to do?" Chloe sat down next her, with Lucy sitting on the other side. "Don't worry Lois; I have a strong feeling everything is going to be alright." Lucy looked confused. "What are you guys talking about?"

Chloe shook her head. "Nothing big; just some minor trouble with a friend." Lucy, still suspecting that they knew more than they were telling her, nodded. "Well, I hope it all gets sorted out."

Chloe and Lois smiled back. Chloe then turned to her older cousin. "By the way, Lois…why were you looking for me at Isis?" she asked. Lois then remembered why she was there before confronting Brian.

"Oh yeah! I wanted to come down there and surprise with some news about Lucy's job interview at the Metropolis airport." Chloe lifted her eyebrows and smiled a bit. "Really? How did it go?" she asked. Lois then looked at her sister. "Why don't you tell her, sis?"

Lucy nodded, smiling. "Sure, Lo." She then focused on Chloe. "I did it, cuz…I made the cut! I'm a flight attendant! I start on Monday!" Chloe shouted for joy as she hugged Lucy. "Congratulations, Lucy! Uncle Sam must be proud!" she said.

Lucy nodded. "Dad sure was! He hopes that I do my job well…and not fall for any hunky pilots." All three girls laughed.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Isis Foundation:

The three slowly approached the staff room. If they were lucky, they could catch Brainiac 5 by surprise. When they walked in, there was no sign of him. "Could he still be in the computer room?" Oliver asked. Clark x-rayed it and shook his head.

"No; Brian's not here." To prove it, he walked to the computer room doors and opened them. Brainiac 5 was indeed absent. However, they did see the countdown on the front monitor. It shown that there was 45 minutes until the missiles would launch.

A second later, Victor walked in. "Hey guys." They all turned around nodded. "Hey Victor, thanks for coming." Clark said. Victor nodded. "No prob. So where's our nutcase hacker?" He asked that question the wrong way.

Kara walked up to him and gave him a very nasty glare. "Brian is NOT a nutcase!! He's just not in control of himself right now! Got that!" Wide eyed in surprise, Victor stepped back with his hands up. "Okay, chill girl! No need to blow up like that!" he said.

Shaking his head at Kara, Oliver talked next. "Can you stop the countdown?" he asked. Victor walked into the computer room and plugged himself in. After a moment or two, he looked back at the others.

"Damn. Chloe's brother is one hell of a hacker!" "What is it?" Clark asked. "This computer has more fire walls and security codes than anything I've broken into before. Brian sure knew what he was doing; he made sure it wouldn't be easy to stop the missiles from being fired." he responded.

"But can you stop it?" Kara asked. Victor shrugged. "I think so…but it's going to take some time." "Can you do it under an hour?" Oliver asked. Victor sighed. "Maybe, if I start now and not be interrupted." he said. Oliver nodded. "Then get started; we'll watch your back."

Victor nodded back and began his work. Oliver then turned to Clark and Kara. "So if Brian is not here, then where the hell could he be?" Kara shrugged, not knowing his next move. Clark crossed his arms and thought.

"Maybe he went to make sure Lois was really dead?" Kara guessed. Clark shook his head. "I don't think so; I doubt he sees her as an actual threat to him." Clark then thought of an idea.

"Well, if he planned to turn the whole planet into a nuclear wasteland and survive, then there might be one place he could hide at…" "Which is where?" Oliver asked. Kara answered before Clark could. "The Fortress."

Clark nodded. "My thoughts exactly." He then turned to Oliver. "Kara and I will go to the Fortress. If Brian is there, we'll find him. Stay here and watch over Victor." Oliver nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'll call Dinah to come; if Brian decides to return here, I doubt I can protect Victor alone."

The cousins nodded. "Good idea. We'll be back soon, and hopefully with Brian back to himself." Clark said as he and Kara super sped out of the room. Oliver then picked up his phone again and called Dinah.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Fortress of Solitude:

Brainiac 5 had just arrived at the Fortress, where the final step of his plan would be taken. He was putting his hands on the crystal console. But the instant he did, he yelled after receiving a shock and back off.

"_**You have no right to be here."**_ said Jor-El. Brainiac 5 sneered as he rubbed his hands. "You have no idea who I am!" _**"I know that you are somehow connected to the Brain Interactive Construct. I sensed it's programming from your mind when you attempted to breach the Fortress database."**_

Brainiac 5 chuckled. "You really are as brilliant as I heard you were. But your intellect is _nothing_ compared to my own! You can't stop me!" Jor-El was still not intimidated.

"_**You will not succeed. The Fortress has been upgraded so that the Brain Interactive Construct cannot hack into it's systems again. Therefore, it is not possible for you to do so either."**_ Brainiac 5 laughed loudly. "We'll see about that, Jor-El." As he approached the console again, he heard two more familiar voices.

"Stop!" "What are you doing?" Brainiac 5 turned to see Clark and Kara, who just flew in. Brainiac 5 smiled as he saw them. "I see that you have learned what I was up to…Lois survived to tell the tale then?"

Neither of them answered…at least not in the way he expected. "We know that you programmed those nuclear missiles to hit practically every corner of the planet! Why would you do that?!" Kara shouted.

Brainiac 5 smiled evilly, still rubbing his hands from the shock Jor-El gave him. "I'm just accomplishing what my ancestor failed to do: Wipe out the entire human race!" Clark and Kara widened their eyes in shock.

"The explosions that will result from the missiles' impacts will spread it's radioactive contents across Earth, killing all human life. No one will survive an attack of that magnitude." "Why come here to the Fortress?" Clark asked, both shocked and angry.

Brainiac 5 snorted. "Besides the fact that it is the only safe location from the radioactivity that will come from the missiles, the Fortress will serve the second part of my plan. Once I hack into it's database, I will delete Jor-El and resurrect Brainiac in his place."

The Kryptonian cousins were shocked even more. "With the Fortress under his control, we will change Earth into a new utopia. After we remove all nuclear energy from Earth, I will use my time remote to go back to Krypton's past and bring General Zod and his forces here before Krypton gets destroyed. Under his rule, Earth will become a new Krypton…the Krypton that the universe will cower towards!" he finished with a laugh.

Clark stared at his infected friend in disbelief. "You're not yourself, Brainiac 5! Your ancestor is manipulating you to do his bidding!" Kara backed him up. "Don't you remember? When you first came here you told us you wanted to save Earth's future, not destroy it! You can't let this happen!"

Brainiac 5 didn't seem to be listening. "You're wasting your time; soon, everything as you know will be gone." Refusing to believe him, Kara continued as she walked to him. "Kara, stay back." Clark instructed. Kara shook her head. "I'll be fine." Reluctantly, Clark allowed her to proceed.

As she approached, Kara looked more determined than ever. "Brainiac 5, listen to me, please. This is not who you are. You are a kind, sweet, brilliant guy; not a megalomaniac hell bent on total annihilation! Come back to us! We know the real you."

As soon as Kara was close enough to Brainiac 5 to touch him, she suddenly felt weak. Brainiac 5 smiled even more as he watched her drop to her knees. "Kara!" Clark shouted as ran to her. Then he started to feel weak too and backed off.

Brainiac 5 pointed at his jacket; at close inspection, Clark saw to his shock that it was covered in kryptonite dust. "I found a kryptonite deposit after I left Isis and covered my jacket with it…just in case you two tried to stop me." He then unleashed his tentacle coils and knocked Kara away.

Clark ran to her again and helped her up. "Are you alright?" Kara nodded. "Now that I'm away from him." she said, catching her breath. They turned to see Brainiac 5 approaching them. "Once I kill you two, I'll get back to hacking the fortress." Clark snarled.

"If you wanted us dead, why didn't you let Amazo do the job?" Clark asked angrily. Brainiac 5 snickered. "I simply wanted the pleasure of killing you both myself." He then began to strangle both of them with his coils.

"Why didn't Krypto sense that you weren't yourself when he lead you to us? Don't dogs have a "sixth sense"?" Kara asked. Brainiac 5 snorted again. "I had to allow part of my original self to maintain nearly all control of my body, enough so that your Superdog wouldn't get suspicious of me."

He wrapped his coils around their whole bodies and began squeezing them. "But before I kill you, I'll have some…fun."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Isis Foundation:

"How's it going?" Dinah asked as she walked in. "I don't know; Victor hasn't said a word since he got started." Oliver answered. Dinah saw Victor sitting on the computer room chair, completely immobile. "I hope Brian didn't leave any nasty surprises in that computer." she said.

"If we survive this, we still have another big problem to deal with." Dinah looked at him seriously. "What other problem?" While Victor continued to work, Oliver told Dinah about Lucas learning Clark and Kara's secret and that he hired a scientist to build that Amazo android to kill them. Dinah was shocked.

"And I thought Lex liked to play hard ball." she said in response. Oliver nodded in agreement. "I'm planning to get those disks containing the info about Clark and Kara; they're probably at the Luthor Mansion. Maybe you and Victor can help me out with that tonight…again, assuming we live through this." he said almost humorously.

Dinah smirked. "You know what, some nighttime ass kicking at the Luthor Mansion sounds like fun." They both laughed. The mood was broken when they heard Victor scream and got blasted out the computer room and into the wall. Oliver and Dinah ran to him and helped him up.

"Victor, are you okay?" Oliver asked. Victor grunted as he held his hacking arm. "I'll live, but my arm needs some work." Everyone saw that the cable Victor used to hack into the computer had melted. "What happened?" Dinah asked.

"I was about to take down a big firewall when this huge electrical surge came out of nowhere and tried to melt my circuits! I had to disengage as quickly as I could." he said. Oliver started to pale when he saw the front monitor again.

"Uh guys…I think our problems just got worse." Dinah and Victor turned to see that the timer had speeded up; it now said 5 minutes till launch. "Brian must have set up that shocking booby trap incase someone tried to undo what he did, and now he's had the countdown speed up after the trap was tripped." Victor guessed.

Oliver slammed his hands on the table. "Dammit!" he shouted in frustration. "What now Ollie?" Dinah asked. "Don't look at me; with my cable out of commission I can't get back in to stop it." Victor said, also frustrated at his failure. Oliver sighed loudly.

"Looks like it's up to Clark and Kara now."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Fortress of Solitude:

Brainiac 5 had thrown his former friends at every structure within the Fortress, and due to him being covered in kryptonite, neither of them can fight back. When he was about to thrash them again, he momentarily froze.

A moment later he chuckled. "Well, it seems things are to happen much sooner than I've planned." "What are you talking about?" Clark asked, weakened by the struggle. Brainiac 5 smiled as he kneeled in front of him and Kara.

"I felt someone trying to stop my countdown and triggered my little booby trap…so now the countdown has speeded up." Clark and Kara were stunned by that. "How much time is left?" Kara asked in horror.

Brainiac 5 shrugged playfully. "I'd say about 5 minutes before the missiles are launched." The cousins couldn't believe it. _'That means Victor failed. I hope he's alright.'_ Clark thought. But then again, that wouldn't matter if the missiles had successfully been fired.

"Well, I guess fun time is over." He then proceeded to choke Clark to death with one of his coils. "Clark, no!" Kara shouted weakly. Brainiac 5 showed great pleasure on his face as he strangled Clark.

But before he could enjoy it more, a heat blast came from nowhere and melted the coil that was choking Clark. Brainiac 5 yelled in pain. "Where did _that_ come from?!" They all turned to see none other than Krypto, whose eyes still flashed red from the heat vision he just fired.

"Good boy, Krypto!" Clark said. Kara was also happy to see him. Brainiac 5 snarled. "Stupid mutt! Don't get in my way!" He then lashed his coils at Krypto, who managed to dodge them, though he kept his distance from Brainiac 5.

"Smart dog; Krypto knows that Brainiac 5 is covered in kryptonite and is staying away." Kara said as she and Clark got up. "Yeah, but we don't have time for this; we need to get free Brainiac 5 and get him to stop the countdown now!"

"But Clark, nothing we say can get through to him; Brainiac's hold over him is too strong." Kara said. Clark nodded. "Then we have only one chance left." He then shouted to the one being he knew could help them.

"Jor-El! Brainiac 5 is being used against his will and you're the only one who can free him!" Jor-El's response was not a positive one. _**"He has deliberately tried to take command of the Fortress and has tried to kill you and Kara. He must not be allowed to live."**_

"It's not his fault! He is being controlled by Brainiac! The real Brainiac 5, the one _we_ know, is a very good person! He's helped us so many times! You _have_ to help him!" Kara pleaded.

"_**He poses too great of a threat to continue living."**_ Clark yelled in frustration; now was not the time for his father to disagree with him on morals. "Didn't you hear a word he said?! If you don't help, all of humanity is going to be wiped out by those missiles! And besides, if it wasn't for him, the Fortress would _never_ have been rebuilt!"

Jor-El didn't say another word. Clark and Kara heard Krypto yelped, and saw that Brainiac 5 finally has him. "Now you will die, and soon your masters with you!" Krypto struggled, but could not break free due to the kryptonite.

Desperate, Kara yelled at him again. "Brainiac 5 PLEASE! Fight back! I know you can! Don't let Brainiac make you a killer! I LOVE YOU!!" Suddenly, after hearing those last few words, Brainiac 5 had released Krypto and retracted his coils back into fingers.

Clark and Kara saw that his eyes kept flashing from black to green and back again. Brainiac 5 held his head, screaming very loud. "Clark…Kara…HELP ME!!" He then collapsed on the ground, rolling around in pain.

"Look Clark, he's fighting back!" Kara shouted. Clark knew that this was it. "Jor-El, please! IT'S NOW OR NEVER!!" he shouted with all his spirit. Instantly, a bright light surrounded Brainiac 5. Clark, Kara , and Krypto closed their eyes, for the light was too bright even for them.

A moment later, the light vanished. When they looked again, they saw Brainiac 5 getting back up, massaging his head. "Uh…my head." Clark, Kara, and Krypto saw that his eyes were green once more and did not change. They also saw that all the kryptonite dust had vanished from his jacket.

Kara ran to him and hugged him without hesitation. "I knew you were still there! I just knew it!" she said happily. Brainiac 5 gladly hugged her back. Krypto came and licked him, glad to see that he was free again.

Clark smiled too, but now was not the time to celebrate. "Come one guys, we have to get back to the Isis Foundation now! There's only a few minutes left!" They all immediately flew out of the Fortress and back to Metropolis.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Isis Foundation:

It was about 20 seconds until the missiles would fire. Oliver, Dinah, and Victor were waiting impatiently for either for the world to end, or for Clark and Kara to save the day. Luckily, their best hope came true.

Just then, they saw Clark, Kara, and to their surprise, Krypto and Brainiac 5. Oliver's group looked tense when they saw him. "Is he…alright?" Oliver asked. Clark nodded confidently. "He is now."

Without wasting time, Brainiac 5 moved to the computer room and hacked in. 15 seconds were left on the clock and still ticking. "What's taking so long?" Kara asked. Brainiac 5 grunted. "I've tampered with this so much, it's taking me longer than usual to sort it out."

10 seconds left.

9...

8...

7...

6...

Everyone tensed as the final seconds approached.

5...

4...

3...

2...

Brainiac 5 sighed as he laid back in the chair; he stopped the countdown with only a second to spare. Everyone else relaxed, glad the crisis was over. After a minute, Brainiac 5 got up and faced everyone.

"I cannot tell you all how sorry I am. This should never have happened. I almost destroyed the Earth and killed everyone…" Clark patted his shoulder. "But you stopped it in time…thanks to Kara and Jor-El." he said, smiling. Kara nodded.

"Don't dwell on it. It's in the past now. We all know that it wasn't really your fault." she replied. Oliver, Dinah, and Victor, feeling assured that it really was over, agreed. "Let's just let bygones be bygones, huh?" Oliver said.

Brainiac 5 still looked ashamed. "But I tried to kill Lois!" Clark shook his head. "She'll be fine; Lois will be on her feet again in a few weeks." "There's no way I can face her again after what I did! She'll never forgive me!" Brainiac 5 said in dismay.

"That's up to her. Don't worry; we'll back you up." he said, referring to himself, Kara, and Oliver. "Yeah, everything is going to be fine." Kara said as she hugged him. As Brainiac 5 hugged her back, he still felt completely distraught.

'_Nothing will be alright…not as long as I'm in this time.'_

To be continued.


	25. Chapter 24 Decision

Hey! Sorry for not updating sooner; my desktop went on the frits and I have to temporarily use a laptop. Anyway, this should make up for the extra wait! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 24: Decision

Smallville Medical Center:

Clark, Kara, and Oliver had just walked into Lois' hospital room, looking relieved. "How's everything here?" Oliver asked the girls. "We're all fine." Chloe answered, feeling the same relief that her friends were feeling. She guessed that they were successful at stopping the missiles from being launched. Lucy looked relaxed, but Lois tensed up as she saw the group.

"Relax Lois; we have nothing to worry about." Clark said when he saw her react. Lois too took a breather. "I guess that's everything's going to be okay?" she asked. "Sure is." Kara said. "Has something happened that I don't know about?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Nothing life threatening." Clark assured, smiling. He then turned to Lois. "Lois, there is someone who wants to talk to you." Oliver and Kara nodded. "Who?" Lois asked. The trio moved away to allow their other companion inside…Brainiac 5.

While Lucy smiled at him, Chloe and Lois tensed up at the sight of him…especially Lois. One look from Clark told Chloe that Brainiac 5 was back to his old self. "Hey Brian." she said. "Hey Chloe. Hey…Lois." Brainiac 5 said as he saw her, still ashamed of what he did earlier.

"Could Lois and I talk alone for a bit?" he asked everyone. Lois at first felt uncomfortable, but a reassuring look from Clark convinced her that it will be fine. After seeing everyone agree, Clark told him that they'll be waiting out in the hallway. After everyone left, there was an awkward silence between Lois and Brainiac 5.

"Um, I guess I owe you an explanation, huh?" Brainiac 5 asked. Lois nodded nervously. "After just trying to kill me, I think an explanation from you would be a good idea." She answered. Brainiac 5 swallowed hard, trying to come with a way to explain himself.

"First of all, I deeply and completely apologize for what I did to you. I wasn't in control of my actions. I would never, _ever_ intentionally hurt you, Lois." Lois didn't respond immediately. "What about the missiles?" she asked. Brainiac 5 smiled a bit.

"Clark and Kara managed to snap me back to my senses and I was able to stop the missiles from being fired. No one is going to die." Lois felt better after hearing that. "That's good news. Remind me to thank them." She said.

After a minute or two of more silence, Lois questioned him again. "Back at Isis, you said you weren't a meteor freak. What _are_ you, really?" Brainiac 5 feared Lois would ask that question. He sat there, trying to come up with the best answer without giving himself away. Finally, he came up with one.

"This isn't easy for me to say, but the truth is…" he hesitated, making sure Lois would believe what he was about to say next. "I was kidnapped when I was 10 by Luthorcorp, and they've done horrible experiments on me. The powers you've seen me use were the result of those experiments." He answered with a convincingly sad voice. Lois was horrified as held her hands to her mouth.

"Oh my god!" she whispered. "Why would Luthorcorp do that to you?" Brainiac 5, satisfied that Lois was buying it, went on. "As you know, Lionel Luthor was in control of Luthorcorp then, and he wanted the "ultimate hacker" for business purposes…at least that was what he told me in my cell." Lois continued to be shocked as her supposed cousin continued.

"Lionel somehow knew the truth about my mother and about me. He had someone spy on me while I was at school and did regular reports. When he learned how much of a computer wiz I was, he decided to make me the subject for his plans." He made another dramatic pause before continuing.

"He planned to use me to hack into business and personal accounts of his corporate rivals in order to make them go bankrupt. With the other big corporations out of business, Luthorcorp would be the only major powerhouse in the business world." "That greedy, heartless bastard!" Lois exclaimed.

Brainiac 5 nodded. "I completely agree." "How did you escape?" Lois asked. Brainiac 5 smiled big time. "I used my own powers against him and shut down the entire Luthorcorp lab I was being held in. Once I got free, I simply had to avoid the guards until I made it outside." "How long did Lionel experiment on you?" Lois asked timidly.

"6 months." he said without hesitation. Lois shook her head. "You were just a little kid when that happened…must've been a nightmare for you." He gave her a sarcastic look. "A _nightmare_? Try Hell." he said calmly. "What did you do once you've escaped?" Lois asked.

"I managed to get back home and warn my foster parents; they've been looking for me since my disappearance. We quickly got out and went into hiding before Lionel's men got there. We found a safe place in Smallville and stayed there for the next several years. Eventually, Lionel gave up looking for me and I tried to live a normal life, while keeping my powers a secret. It wasn't long after that that I started my search for Chloe." He finished.

"I'm glad you turned out alright, considering all that." Lois replied after a bit more silence. Brainiac 5 nodded. "So do I." Lois then brought up her next question. "What was going with you at Isis; your eyes and your psychotic episode?" Brainiac 5 sighed.

"That was a program Lionel had downloaded into my mind when I was still his prisoner. It was designed to activate in the event that I suffer from a strong attack in the head and fall unconscious. During that month I was out, that program slowly spread throughout my mind, corrupting me and making me do it's bidding."

"But to fire nuclear missiles all over the world?! Even Lionel wasn't _that_ evil." Lois said. Brainiac 5 laughed humorlessly. "You truly don't know someone until you've seen their true nature, and I saw Lionel's while he was torturing me." He replied harshly.

"What would Lionel have gained by nuking the planet?" Lois asked furiously. "Lionel would "alert" the world about some madman trying to wipe out Earth with a full nuclear strike. He planned to respond to the crisis by addressing the nations that he had a way to stop the missiles from being fired; me. He would use me to stop the missiles from firing and in gratitude, the nations would give Lionel more power and resources than he's ever had." He said.

Lois shook her head again. "Really makes me glad that Lionel is dead now." she said. Brainiac 5 nodded. "You and me both." "So, did you ever tell Chloe about your powers?" she asked. Brainiac 5 shook his head. "No; I didn't want her to worry about me, at least not that way."

Lois nodded. "I understand." They were both silent again. Lois then took his hand and squeezed it softly. "Thanks for coming in here and talk; it was very gutsy of you to open up like that." Brainiac 5 smiled back. "You're family; I had to make things right with you."

She smiled in return. "I appreciate that." She opened her mouth to say something else, but she closed it instantly. Brainiac 5 saw this and looked curious. "What were you about to say, Lois?" he asked. Lois shook her head. "Nothing; it's not important."

What Lois almost said was that she wanted to ask him about his involvement in the Sierra Madres battle and freeing Lucy from that scarab. She stopped because she promised Chloe she wouldn't bring it up anymore. After talking with Brainiac 5, Lois knew that she didn't have to ask him for the details; all that mattered was that he saved his sister's life and was forever grateful to him.

Brainiac 5 then got up and headed for the door. "I'll let you get some rest, Lois. Get better soon." Lois nodded. "Catch ya later, cuz." Brainiac 5 then left the room. In the hallway, Clark and company were waiting.

"What did you two talk about?" Lucy asked. Brainiac 5 smiled. "Just personal stuff, nothing big." Lucy shrugged. "Alright, well I'm going to get something to eat. Be back in a bit." As Lucy started toward a nearby vending machine, she accidentally bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you coming." Lucy said as she saw the person she bumped into and nearly blushed. She ran into a young African American wearing a white business shirt, kaki pants and glasses. He came around the corner and didn't see Lucy coming, which was why they collided.

He seemed equally flustered by Lucy's appearance. "No, it's fine. I was in a bit of a hurry." "Where to?" Lucy asked. He showed her a newspaper he was carrying. "To pay a visit to a coworker who was brought here recently…Lois Lane."

Lucy looked surprised. "You work with Lois at the Daily Planet?" she asked. He shrugged. "Not closely. You know her?" he asked. Lucy chuckled. "She's my big sister. My Lucy." She said as she held out her hand. The young man shook hers in return. "Ron Troupe; I'm a reporter." He said politely.

"Nice name, Ron." She said with a hint of attraction. Ron smiled. "So is Lucy." They both stood there, gazing into each others eyes and still shaking hands for several seconds. Someone cleared their throat behind Lucy and made her jump. She turned to see it was Chloe, with the rest of the gang behind her.

"Turing on the old Lane charm, aren't you Lucy?" she asked playfully. Lucy and Ron instantly let go of each other's hands and looked highly embarrassed. "Chloe, I was just introducing myself, okay? Knock it off!" Lucy replied indignantly. "Sorry, I couldn't resist." Chloe replied.

Ron then noticed Clark. "Hello Clark, seeing Lois too?" he asked. "Just came from her room; she'll be fine." Ron then introduced himself to Chloe, Kara, Brian, and Oliver. "It's nice to meet you Ron." Kara said. Ron nodded. "Nice to meet you all too. I like to talk but I have to show Lois my new article I just sent to Perry. That is, if she hasn't seen it already."

Ron then walked past everyone to Lois' room. He stopped briefly and turned back. "It was nice meeting you too, Lucy." He said with a smile. Lucy smiled back as he left their sight. Oliver noticed the dreamy look on her face. "Why didn't you ask him out?" he teased. Lucy punched his shoulder softly.

"Cut it out!" she shouted, making everyone else laugh. Brainiac 5 felt good laughing; it helped to relieve him of the choice he had made earlier.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Luthor Mansion:

It was 11 pm and Lucas was having some vodka. He was not pleased about the evening headlines from the Daily Planet: _"Mad Scientist Apprehended! Responsible for Android Attack!"_ Lucas didn't expect Professor Ivo to get himself arrested and blabber about Amazo, who assaulted Metropolis recently.

After draining the glass he angrily threw into the fireplace, causing the flames to rise for a brief moment. He then picked up the paper on his desk and read through it again, growing angrier each time he read it. The paper said that Ivo was turned in by one of the costumed people who tackled the hostile android, identified by Ivo as Amazo.

She told the police that Ivo unleashed the man like monster into the city and got him to confess again before she left in a blink of an eye. Lucas crumpled the paper in his hands. "Had a bad day?" said a deep voice from right upstairs. Lucas looked up and saw with shock that it was Green Arrow, who was smiling.

Lucas sneered at his adversary. "How did you get past my security?" Green Arrow jumped down and stood in front of Lucas. "Same way me and my buddies infiltrated your stepbrother's 33.1 labs: We kicked their asses." Green Arrow then held out his crossbow as Lucas reached for his gun behind him.

"I wouldn't move if I were you, rich boy." He warned. Lucas took his hands of the gun and held them up. "What do _you_ want?" he asked angrily. Green Arrow stepped a little closer. "Just the two disks you have on Clark and Kara Kent." Lucas was caught of guard by that question.

"How do you know about the disks?" "You tried to kill two of my teammates, they paid your buddy, Ivo, a visit and got him to spill the beans. Hence, my arrival." He answered smugly. Lucas snorted. "I don't have them. They are already on their way to the Daily Planet for the next big story. Once they are exposed, there will be no place they can hide."

"I doubt that, chump." Said Black Canary, who just walked in through the door, with Victor beside her. Lucas was surprised to see that she and Cyborg were each holding a disk. "We fished these out of your private vault. Good thing about hacking; you always know where everything is." Cyborg replied with a smirk.

Lucas sneered. "Looks like the jig is up." Green Arrow said. Lucas shook his head. "You haven't won yet, you son of a bitch!" He then quickly had a knife slip from his sleeve and threw it at Green Arrow, which stabbed him in his right arm.

With him distracted, Lucas punched him in the gut and pushed him away as he jumped right threw the window. He landed hard on his stomach and slowly got back up. Surprised and pissed that Lucas caught him off guard like that, Green Arrow jumped down after him. "Arrow!" Cyborg yelled as she saw her leader jump after his foe.

"C'mon, let's get down there." Black Canary commanded as she and Cyborg headed out the way they came in. On the mansion grounds, Lucas was about to run when Green Arrow shot a dart into his left leg, causing Lucas to scream. "That's for knifing me back there." Green Arrow said as he grabbed Lucas by the collar.

"And _this_ is for attempting to kill my pals." Green Arrow then punched Lucas hard in the jaw and allowed him to fall to the ground. Lucas covered his mouth, which was bleeding. "You bastard!" he yelled in frustration. Before he could get up again, Green Arrow had him pinned down. "And these next several beatings…are for _me_!"

He then began to repeatedly punch Lucas everywhere he thought would hurt him the most. Lucas tried to struggle, but Green Arrow didn't give him any leverage. Green Arrow was punching Lucas again and again, each one causing more pain than the last. Soon he began to punch faster and more aggressive.

Lucas' face was covered in blood when Black Canary and Cyborg arrived. They were shocked that their team leader was practically killing Lucas. "Hey, GA! We got what we came for, so let's just get the hell out of here!" Cyborg yelled. "Come on Arrow; he's had enough!" But despite their protests, Green Arrow kept punching away.

When Black Canary tried to stop him, Green Arrow shoved her aside. "Stay out of this, Canary! This is personal!" he yelled. "Don't you think he's been beaten up enough?!" she retorted. "Not until he's just a corpse!" he said with another punch to Luca's face. Before he could strike again, though, a hand in a red glove stopped him and threw him off Lucas.

"That's enough Green Arrow!" said Steel, who just flew in along with Power Girl. Green Arrow got back up and brushed himself off. Lucas was lying on the ground, moaning in pain. "We don't have to kill him!" Power Girl said in agreement. Green Arrow spit to the ground.

"No one asked you to throw me like a rag doll!" He said spitefully. While they were arguing, Lucas got out a small device from his pants pocket. He then smirked. "You may have gotten the better of me tonight, but soon…_I_ will get the better of you all!" He then vanished in a flash of light.

The whole team was stunned by his unexpected exit. "Where the hell did he go?" Cyborg asked. Steel shrugged. "I'm more concerned about _how_ he got away." Green Arrow then walked up to Steel and poked his finger on his chest. "Nice going, Steel. Because of you, he escaped to who knows where!" he shouted as began walking away.

Steel and the rest of the team were shocked by Green Arrow's behavior. "What's wrong with him?" Power Girl asked. "I don't know." Steel replied as he and the rest of them trailed after Green Arrow. _'Oliver, what's wrong with you?'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Brainiac 5 sat alone in the bar loft, looking up at the stars. He smiled; looking at the stars reminded him of all the space travels he had been on back in his time. He missed all his Legionnaire comrades and his own time period, where everything was more advanced and not so limited.

He inhaled and exhaled loudly, missing the era he was born in…where he felt at home. He barely had time to take out his time remote and stare at it when Clark walked in the barn. "Lonely up here?" he asked. Brainiac 5 chuckled. "Just a little home sick, that's all."

Clark walked up to him and leaned on the loft window. "What's it like in the 31st Century?" he asked, curiously. "It's completely different from this era. Technology was far more advanced, aliens aren't prejudiced so much, and most of the planets in this galaxy are united to help one another." Brainiac 5 answered proudly.

Clark was intrigued. "Sounds like a time I'd like to visit." Brainiac 5 nodded in agreement. "I think you would like it, but I know that this time period is your home." Clark nodded and noticed Brainiac 5's time remote.

"Planning a return trip soon?" he inquired. Brainiac 5 looked up at him. "Not soon…tonight." Clark looked surprised. "Clark, I'm going back to the 31st Century now. And…I won't be coming back." Clark was really surprised now. "Why?" Brainiac 5 walked behind Clark and lowered his head, clearly sad.

"Yeah Brainy, why?" Clark and Brainiac 5 turned to see Kara, clearly surprised to see her. She looked just as surprised as Clark was at the news and had her arms crossed. Brainiac 5 became even more depressed. "It's too dangerous for me to be here any longer." Kara walked up to him, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Brainiac 5 sighed. "I took a huge risk traveling back in time to change Earth's history. Before I left I realized that I might be vulnerable to Brainiac's foul influence. I took some precautions to make sure I'm safe from him until I return to my time. Kalibak's attack on me eliminated those precautions and my ancestor took complete control over me."

Clark and Kara listened intently, waiting for his point. "I almost destroyed Earth and all of mankind while under his control. If it weren't for you and Jor-El, I would have…" He paused for a moment before continuing.

"My point is that as long as I am in this time period, a time in which Brainiac still functions somehow, I'm as much a threat to Earth's future as Darkseid is. The only way to keep it from happening again…is to return to my time." Kara didn't want to hear another word of it.

"No…you're not a threat anymore. Jor-El freed you from Brainiac's control!" Brainiac 5 shook his head. "He may have brought me back to myself, but the code that connects me and Brainiac still exists. I cannot give him another chance to wipe out Earth, or you, by using me like a puppet." Kara cupped his face in her hands. She started to look sad.

"Brainiac 5…Brian, please listen to me." Brainiac 5 looked surprised when Kara used his Earth name. "I don't want you to go and never return. I want you to stay with me. I've never been happier with anyone than I have with you." Clark saw how much Brainiac 5 leaving was affecting her, and was convinced that she really was in love with him.

"You two really are in love, huh?" he asked. Brainiac 5 and Kara looked at him. "Yeah, we are." Kara said in confirmation. Brainiac 5 smiled a bit. "I guess we made that clear when Kara kissed me in Antarctica and when she said that she loved me at the fortress?" he asked. Clark smirked.

"Actually, I knew before any of that happened." The couple looked surprised. "You've known?" Brainiac 5 asked. "For how long?" Kara asked. "Since the night I brought your boyfriend home after Batman and I rescued him. I was listening with my super hearing upstairs and…heard the whole thing."

They looked stunned. "Clark Kent, I'm surprised at you! You only eaves drop if it was life or death!" Kara said indignantly. Clark looked a little ashamed himself. "Curiosity got the better of me. Sorry." "How come you didn't say anything?" Brainiac 5 asked. Clark shrugged.

"I was waiting for you two to tell me yourselves." The couple laughed a little. "I guess we can let that go." Kara said. Brainiac 5 turned away and looked at his time remote again. "It doesn't really matter now, since I'm heading back home." At once, Kara rounded on him.

"Stop talking like that! Don't leave, please!" Brainiac 5 looked so sad to see Kara this way, but he knew it was for the best. "If you are going back, then I'm going with you!" she exclaimed. Clark had decided to step in. "Hold on Kara; you're not going anywhere." Kara stared at Clark angrily.

"Don't tell me what to do, Clark!" "Clark's right; you can't come. You belong here; not in my time." Brainiac 5 said. Kara still refused to listen. "You still love me, don't you?" Brainiac 5 looked surprised by that question. "Of course I do; that will never change."

"Then why can't we remain together?" Kara asked, starting to cry. Brainiac 5 held her hands as he talked. "Remember telling me that I've only thought of the best for others and asked me what was best for me?" Kara nodded, remembering that conversation clearly.

"I remember that. You said you didn't know." Kara answered. Brainiac 5 continued. "Well, I've finally found the answer to that question." Kara felt that she wasn't going to like the answer.

"After what happened today, I've realized that despite how much I love you…I just can't stay here. What's best for me is to return home in the 31st Century, where I'm no threat to anyone. And I can't take you with me because this time period is your home, not mine. No matter how much this hurts, I have to do this…for the good of Earth."

Kara's eyes were shining with tears now. "Besides, I've probably changed enough of the past to give you guys a fighting chance against Darkseid. My help is no longer required." Kara then hugged him fiercely, crying.

"That doesn't mean we don't _want_ you around! I won't let you go!" Clark had put a hand on Kara's shoulder. She then let go of Brainiac 5 and looked at Clark. "Kara, I know how much it hurts to lose someone you are in love with. I refused to let Lana go too; it tore my heart when I saw that DVD she left me."

Kara listened intently to her cousin's words. "But I realized I couldn't let my heartache get in the way of my life. I had to move on and not dwell in the past. Can't you do the same?" Kara thought about it and, though she hated it, he was right.

She wiped her tears, sniffed, and turned back to Brainiac 5. "Brian, I don't want you to leave, but if this is what you feel is right…I shouldn't stop you." Clark smiled for his cousin being strong at the moment. Brainiac 5 smiled back and hugged her again.

"I'm glad you understand, Kara. Remember, I'll always love you." Kara nodded. "And I'll always love you. But before you go, could you do one last thing for me?" Brainiac 5 nodded. "Absolutely. What is it?" Kara took his hands and laced her fingers around his.

"Kiss me one more time." Brainiac 5 smiled and nodded. "Gladly." He and Kara then lip locked once more, and they put a lot more passion into it, like they're kissing for the first time all over again. Clark respectfully turned away. They were at it for about a minute or two before they finally broke apart.

"Goodbye Brian; I'll never forget you." Kara said as she walked back a bit. Brainiac 5 nodded again. "Goodbye Kara; I will never forget you either. Goodbye to you too, Clark." "Bye Brainiac 5; thanks for everything." Clark said in gratitude. "Glad I could help." Brainiac 5 said, feeling very appreciated.

The Legionnaire then held his time remote. With one last look at them, particularly Kara, he pushed the button on his remote. There was a big burst of light...and when the light faded, he was gone. He had returned to the 31st Century.

Kara was shaking a little. "You did the right thing. I'm proud of you." Clark said. Kara then hugged him and started to cry again. "But Clark…it hurts." Clark held her tight and patted her back. "I know. Let it all out, Kara." As Clark comforted his cousin, he wondered they really can save the future without him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

"I'm sorry, Master; I didn't expect Green Arrow and his squad to busting into my mansion and nearly beat the crap out of me!" Lucas pleaded to Darkseid on his knees. Darkseid certainly didn't look happy.

"You brought this upon yourself when you ordered Professor Ivo to kill those Kryptonians and that his creation failed to do so." Lucas trembled in fear as his master looked down on him. "Because of your mishap, you can no longer run Luthorcorp and continue with its part in the plan. The authorities on this planet will no doubt be searching for you by now; I'm sure they have learned Ivo's connection to you."

"Please, give me another chance! I promise I won't fail you again…" Darkseid then grabbed Lucas' throat, choking him. "Listen to me, human! After I've appointed your replacement at Luthorcorp, I'm sending you to work with Jarvis Kord at Kord Industries to continue with the plan. I will make sure no one on this planet knows your involvement there. Do not leave from there under _any_ circumstances! Do I make myself clear?"

Lucas nodded as he tried to breath. Darkseid then released him and allowed him to breathe once more. "Thank you…master." Lucas said gratefully. Darkseid's eyes glowed extremely red. "This is the last time I will spare your life. Fail me once more, Lucas, and I will end your pathetic existence." Lucas nodded.

Darkseid then walked towards a monitor and contacted a man wearing a black cloak over his face. _"Greetings, Lord Darkseid. How can I be of assistance?"_ he asked. Darkseid smiled. "There has been an incident. Lucas can longer run Luthorcorp; I need to you to send in a replacement for him." The man on the monitor nodded.

"I believe my daughter will fill in the position just fine."

To be continued.


	26. Chapter 25 Issues

Hey everyone! If my last chapter seemed overdramatic, I'm sorry. Anyway, here is my next chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 25: Issues

Kent Farm:

The next morning, Clark came downstairs to have breakfast. He had to be at work soon, so he quickly made some eggs and toast, and of course fed Shelby and Krypto (who didn't seem to mind Earth-made dog food). When he sat down to eat, he saw Kara come down the stairs.

"Morning, Kara. How are you feeling?" he asked apprehensively. Kara was a mess; she looked as though she hadn't gotten any sleep last night, and she appeared to have shown signs of crying a lot. Kara didn't smile as she sat next to him.

"Didn't sleep well." she mumbled. Clark nodded understandably. Brainiac 5's departure had really upset her; he thought it would've been worse if he didn't say goodbye at all. "I can see that; you don't look so good." Kara shook her head.

"I'm not going to work at the Talon today; I've already called in sick." she replied. Clark nodded. "I understand." They ate silently. After cleaning the dishes, Clark hugged Kara. "If you need me, just call. Alright?" "Sure." she answered softly as her cousin headed out. Just as Clark opened the front door, he bumped into a surprise visitor.

"Dinah?" It was indeed Dinah, who looked like she was about to knock. "Hey Clark. Got a second?" "Uh, sure. Is everything alright?" Dinah shook her head. "Not really. I want you to talk to Oliver." Clark narrowed his eyes. "This is about what happened last night, isn't it?" he asked.

"It's not just that; Ollie's been acting less like himself lately…and I'm worried." Clark looked surprised. "What are you talking about?" Dinah sighed. "This past month, he's become a lot more aggressive on our mission to take down Lucas. Usually he just jumps in, gets the job down, and gets out. But now…he's starting to get carried away."

"Dinah, what has he done?" Clark asked directly. "He attacks Luthorcorp men brutally, almost to the point of death. On one assignment, we intercepted some supply trucks from Chicago, and Ollie almost killed everyone when he blew up two of the trucks with explosive arrows. I scolded him for that, telling him that he could've killed them in those blasts; he retorted when he said that they at least survived. Sometimes, I think he's someone else. I tried to talk to him this morning, but he wasn't in the mood." she finished.

Clark was alarmed at this. The last time he knew Oliver had been this aggressive was when he used that RL65 drug a few years ago. Clark didn't want to believe that Oliver would use that stuff again, but after seeing the beating he gave Lucas last night, that just might be the case. Clark nodded.

"I have to go. But I promise, I'll talk to Oliver today." "Thanks Clark." Dinah then peeked inside and spotted Kara, who laid her head on her arms and appeared to be sobbing quietly. "Seems Ollie isn't the only one with a problem." Clark turned back to see Kara.

"Kara is going through a rough time right now. It's best that we just leave her alone." Dinah nodded in agreement as they both left.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Luthorcorp; right outside the CEO Office:

"C'mon Lois; just because Luthorcorp has a new boss, doesn't mean that person will be like Lex or Lucas." Clark argued as he and Lois walked up to the office door. "Wise up Smallville; Luthorcorp was never interested in the issues of the public and I seriously doubt it will start now, no matter who's sitting in the big chair." Lois retorted.

Last night, at Chloe's insistence, Clark snuck her inside Lois' hospital room and used her healing power on Lois while she was sleeping. Clark and Chloe were gone the instant Lois woke up, suddenly feeling like a million bucks. As astounded as the doctors were about Lois' quick recovery (and to Lois herself), they let her go the following morning.

Lois wondered how all those injuries that were supposed to take weeks to heal had completely vanished during the night. She decided to think about it later as she went home and got ready for work.

Later in the morning, Perry told Clark and Lois to go get an interview with the new owner of Luthorcorp, who refused to speak to the press upon taking over. "So, I heard that Lucas made a run for it last night before the police showed up. Who would have thought that he hired the whack job, Ivo, to build that android that tried to tear Metropolis apart?"

"What motive could he have for that?" Clark asked, pretending not to know anything on the subject. Lois shrugged. "My guess, he planned to use that oversized Astro Boy as a means to get people to trust Luthorcorp more. Maybe Lucas planned to "defeat" that android using his resources to gain people's trust." she hypothesized.

Clark smirked. "Sounds like overkill." "Yeah well, at least Lucas is out of our hair." _'And maybe out of Ollie's too.'_ "I hope so too." Clark said as he opened the door. When he and Lois walked in, they were surprised to see a woman sitting in the office chair.

She was beautiful. She had long, brown hair and eyes, was slender, and she looked slightly intimidating. The woman was filling out a form when she noticed Clark and Lois. She smiled politely. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"Lois Lane; reporter for the Daily Planet, and this is my charming partner, Clark Kent." Clark looked annoyed how Lois described him. The woman got up and shook their hands, and seemed to be interested instantly. "Talia Ducard; Luthorcorp's new CEO. It's nice to meet you two. I suppose you're both here for an exclusive?" she asked.

"If you are interested." Clark replied. Talia continued to smile. "Of course. Ask me what comes to mind." She said. Lois, surprised that Talia would cooperate so easily, questioned her first. "Okay, um…how come you refused to take interviews before now?" Talia sat back down in her chair, still smiling.

"I'm not exactly a public speaker. I prefer to talk when less people are around…particularly people with cameras." she stated. "Camera shy, huh?" Lois asked. Talia laughed. "You could say that." Clark went next.

"How did you come to own Luthorcorp? Were you associated with Lex or Lucas Luthor in any way?" he asked. Talia shifted a little before answering. "I've known Lex for a few years, but I've never met his half brother. Their father, Lionel, and my father, Henri Ducard, were old friends and agreed that if in the event that none of Lionel's sons can replace him after he has gone, I would take his place. My father is confident that I am completely capable of running his friend's business." she answered smoothly.

The reporters were surprised. "So you and Lex were friends?" Lois asked suspiciously. Talia shook her head. "Not close; more like "rivals". He and I always competed in practice projects to see which one of us is more suited to the business world. To my annoyance, he always beats me at it…though I've come close a few times."

"How did you react when you heard about Lionel's death and Lex being in a coma?" Clark asked. Talia then appeared to look a little sad. "I was in complete shock about Lionel. He never appeared to be the type of person to commit suicide. My father was deeply regretted to hear the news as well. As for Lex, though I thought of him as more of a competitor than a friend, I hope he reawakens someday." She answered compassionately.

Clark and Lois looked at one another, and Lois looked more skeptical than him. "What kind of business does your father do, Ms. Ducard?" Lois asked. Talia regained her composure as she spoke again. "He operates overseas as the head of an environmentalist organization that works to preserve various remote locations. His organization is very successful." she claimed.

"Do you believe that you can run Luthorcorp?" Clark asked. Talia nodded. "Like I said before, my father is confident in me…and I feel that same confidence myself." Talia then looked at her watch. "I'm sorry; I have to be at a meeting with board of directors. Thank you for coming by." Clark and Lois nodded as they walked back into the hallway. "Thank _you_, Ms. Ducard." Clark said as he shook her hand again.

Talia chuckled. "You are welcome. Good day, Mr. Kent, Ms. Lane." she said as she left their sight. As they headed back to the Daily Planet, Clark saw how skeptical Lois looked. "What's with the look?" he asked. "What look?" she questioned innocently.

Clark smirked. "Your "I don't think that person is being completely honest" look." Lois sighed; she hated that Clark knew her so well. "Oh, that look." As they stepped into the elevator, Lois gave him her annoyed look.

"C'mon, she seemed nice and honest to me." Clark said in retaliation. Lois didn't agree. "Nice maybe, but honest...I'm not sure about." "It's because she knew Lex, isn't it?" Clark questioned. Lois stared at him, and then sighed again. "Fine, it's mostly that."

Clark shook his head. "Lois, you can't immediately judge someone just because they knew Lex or anyone in his family." Lois gave him a surprised look. "If I remember correctly, Smallville, you weren't exactly thrilled when Lucas showed up."

"That was different; I've already known Lucas before he took over Luthorcorp and knew what kind of person he was. Talia, on the other hand, might not be so bad." he said defensively.

Lois laughed humorlessly. "We'll see Clark."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

Oliver was examining one of his crossbows, checking for any sign of damage. He quickly put it away when he heard the elevator coming up. He was relieved that it was Clark. "Next time Clark, call me. I thought you might've been somebody else." Clark shrugged. "I never knew you to be so jumpy." he joked.

Oliver chuckled. "I've been a little on edge lately, no biggy. So what brings you up here?" he asked. Clark gave him a very serious look. "I have to ask you something." Oliver looked serious as well when he noticed the tone in Clark's voice. "Which is?"

Clark hesitated a bit before asking. "Have you been taking that drug that made you violent again?" Oliver looked taken aback by that question. "Hell no! I've learned my lesson, remember? Why would you even think that?"

"Because of how aggressive you've been lately." Oliver sighed. "Dinah talked to you, did she?" Clark nodded. "Look, it's nothing. I'm fine." he said dismissively. Clark didn't buy it.

"Not from what I've heard from Dinah." he stated. Oliver raised an eyebrow. "She told me about the men you nearly killed in a mission involving Luthorcorp trucks. That, and from the way you beat up Lucas, is not what I'd call "nothing"." Oliver walked out onto the balcony overlooking the city. He didn't make a reply.

Clark joined him, not giving up. "If you haven't been taking that drug, then why are you acting like a trigger happy maniac?" he asked bluntly. Oliver sighed and remained quiet for a moment. After a bit, he finally answered.

"You want an answer? Fine, here's your answer: I was getting the revenge I was robbed of when I learned how my parents _really_ died! Both Lionel and Lex were out of commission, so I took it out on the next best thing…Lucas and all of Luthorcorp!" he shouted, surprising Clark.

"I thought you had gotten over that a while ago?" he asked. Oliver shook his head. "You thought wrong." Clark sighed. "Oliver, you've got to put this behind you and move on. Holding on to all that anger and hate will only lead you down a path to your own destruction…just like Lex."

Oliver sighed, looking down at the streets below. He knew that Clark was right; he didn't want to be like Lex. He also knew that his parents would've wanted him to let it go. He thought long and hard about that and came to the right conclusion.

Oliver then smiled. "You're right…again. I'm not an avenger; I'm a hero. Heroes don't go looking for revenge, it just doesn't suit them." Clark smiled. "I couldn't agree with you more." They were silent for a moment.

"Hey Clark, have you heard about Luthorcorp's new boss?" Clark nodded. "Lois and I interviewed her earlier. Her name is Talia Ducard and apparently, her family and the Luthors knew each other. Do you know her?" he asked.

Oliver thought about it for a bit and shrugged. "Can't say that I have. Never heard that name before in my life." Clark nodded. "I see. I don't know well enough if she could be a threat, but right now I don't think she is." "And what was Lois' opinion?" Oliver asked.

"She's skeptical, as always." Oliver laughed. "That's Lois; she never believes anything without solid proof." Clark laughed with him. "Well, I have to get back home. If you need me, give me a call." Oliver nodded.

"Sure. Oh, by the way." He said as Clark was approaching the elevator. "Yeah?" "How are Brian and Chloe holding up?" Clark shifted a bit. "Why do you ask?" Oliver shrugged. "It's just that after hearing about Brian's past with Luthorcorp from Lois, I was a little unnerved. But not as much as Chloe; she's his sister after all." he added.

Clark nodded. "I've checked up on Chloe today; she was rattled by the revelation, but she said that didn't change how she felt about her brother. As for Brian," he paused briefly. "He still felt completely responsible for what happened, so he left Smallville last night." Oliver looked surprised.

"He left? Why?" "He said he didn't want to cause anymore problems to his family, so he thought leaving town would be the best way to do it. Chloe, Lois, and Lucy took it pretty hard...but Kara took it the hardest." Clark added.

"Why is that?" Oliver asked. Clark sighed. "It turns out that Brian and Kara had been in love for a while, and when he left, she was heartbroken." Oliver looked startled. "Oh, sorry I asked. Will she be alright?"

"She will be…in time. Breaking up with someone you love is not something you get over overnight." "Tell me about it." Oliver replied. Clark then stepped into the elevator. "Later, Ollie." "Later, Clark."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

"Hey Kara, I'm home! Everything alright?" he called as he walked into the house that evening. However, no answer came from her. "Kara?" Clark then walked into the kitchen, thinking she might be eating dinner, but again she was absent.

He then saw a note on the table, and it was in Kara's handwriting. Puzzled, he read it. What it said was:

_Hey Clark._

_I've gone out for a while. I'll be back soon. Just need to go out and get some fresh air._

_Kara._

Clark looked at his watch; it was 8:00 pm. He hoped that wherever Kara was that she'll be back soon.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Fortress of Solitude:

Kara sat alone on the crystal like floor of the fortress. She had gone there not long after Clark left in the morning and hadn't left since. She went there because it was the only place on Earth that had made her feel at home. She missed Krypton everyday and wished that her world still existed.

But more than Krypton, she missed Brainiac 5. Kara dwelled in the fortress thinking of all the good times they've had together; the times that made her smile. She also wished that those times would never end. But fate did not work that way. She thought it was unfair that she was stripped of not only her home planet, but also her loving boyfriend too.

Jor-El told her not to dwell in the past but focus on the present, but Kara wouldn't hear of it and just said to left alone, so he spoke to her no more. When she saw how late it was getting, she decided it was time to head back to the farm; Clark would've found her note by now.

Just as she was about to fly out, a big burst of light came from the fortress console. The whole place was illuminated by it. When Kara was able to see again, she saw someone standing in front of her

A tall, blonde woman in a white dress stood before Kara. The woman was surprised to see that she was not alone. After a moment of studying Kara, the woman finally spoke. "_Kara_?" Kara started to cry when she heard the woman's voice and hugged her instantly.

"Yes, it's me…mother."

To be continued.


	27. Chapter 26 Allura

Hey! Here we are with Chapter 26! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 26: Allura

Kent Farm:

Clark had started cooking few steaks and some baked potatoes, with some salad on the side. He knew that Kara liked steaks and figured it might help cheer her up from her depression. But as he cooked, he began to feel anxious.

From the note he read, Kara had been out all day and had yet to return. He considered going out to look for her, but he decided to wait a little longer before starting any search parties.

Just as he was sprinkling the seasoning salt on the meat, Clark heard the kitchen door open, and smiled at the site of Kara. They immediately hugged.

When they separated, Clark saw a glow of happiness from Kara he didn't expect to see. "Hey Kara. Feeling any better?" he asked. Kara smiled as she nodded. "A lot better, thanks!" she replied gratefully.

"I got your note. Where have you been all day?" Clark inquired. "I was at the fortress; the only place on Earth that reminded me of home." Clark nodded. "I can understand that." Kara continued.

"Clark, on my way back, I've bumped into someone I know and decided to invite her for dinner. Is that alright?" she asked. Clark looked surprised by the news. "I think so. Who did you invite, Kara?"

"Guess." she suggested playfully. Sighing, Clark decided to go through with it. "Alright, is it Chloe?" Kara shook her head. "Nope, try again." "Lois?" he asked. Once more, Kara said no.

"Lucy, then?" Clark guessed. "Sorry, wrong again." Kara replied. Clark tried one more time. "My mom?" he guessed, positive he was right. But to his surprise, Kara shook her head again. "Definitely not." she said.

Clark was frustrated now. "Kara, who did you bring over?" Kara then looked at the kitchen door. "You can come in now." The door opened once more, and Clark was stunned to see the person that walked in.

At first, though he knew it was crazy to think it, he thought it was his mother, Lara, back from the grave. But upon closer inspection, he saw that the blonde woman's hair was wrapped in a pony tail. She also had lighter eyes than Lara and was a bit shorter.

The woman smiled. "Hello. You must be Kal-El. I'm glad to finally meet you." she said softly. Clark was shocked that she knew his real name, and turned to Kara in alarm.

"Kara…_who_ is she? How does she know my Kryptonian name?" he asked nervously. Clark could tell that she's a Kryptonian, because his mother wore a white dress similar to the new woman's.

In the past, every time he met another Kryptonian he always had to fight him or her off, including Kara. Lara didn't count because (though she and Clark never fought) she wasn't _real_ Kryptonian. That's why Clark was so alert then.

Kara gave him a reassuring look. "It's okay; she's not here to hurt anyone." Kara then looked at the woman. "Kal-El, meet Allura…my mother." Clark was shocked even more.

"Your…_mother_?" he asked bewilderedly as he looked back at Allura, who smiled. "She's telling you the truth, my nephew." she said kindly. Clark's mind began to bubble with questions as he stared at his aunt.

"I'm sure you have some questions, you and Kara. But I will answer them." Allura said. Clark smiled nervously. "Uh, could Kara and I talk alone for a minute?" Allura nodded. "Of course."

After making sure that the steaks would not burn, Clark took Kara, who looked confused, to the living room. "Clark, what is it? Why are you so jumpy?" she asked.

"How can I not be? Another member of our family that supposedly died on Krypton suddenly walked into my kitchen! Where did you find her?" he asked quietly.

"She appeared in the fortress right when I was about to leave. A bright light erupted from the console and then, she was there." Kara answered. Clark felt more wary.

"That's exactly how the replicates of my mother and your father appeared. Your mother may not be real, Kara." Kara then looked stunned.

"Of course she's real! I took a close look at the console myself; there were no foreign crystals there. Allura is not a replicate!" she whispered back. "Then how is it possible that she survived Krypton's explosion and appeared out of nowhere?" Clark asked.

Kara shrugged. "I don't know. But Clark, my mother died _before_ the explosion, not in it.…at least that's what I thought." Clark was even more confused. "Before? How?" he asked.

"It happened years ago, when I was a little girl. Allura worked at a research facility in Kandor. I was at school while Zor-El worked in the planet's core. As I waited for my mother to pick me up one day; she does so because Zor-El was too busy to leave."

Clark listened with interest. "To my surprise, it had been my father who came for me. I noticed he had a sad look on his face and asked him where my mother was. He told me that there was an attack at the building Allura worked in, and she didn't survive."

Kara paused for a moment before continuing. "He said it was from one of General Zod's terrorist assaults. I cried as I hugged him, completely upset about losing her. Zor-El said the body was removed and buried beneath the surface as her final resting place."

Clark frowned. "I'm sorry. Is that why you never talked about her in the past?" he asked. Kara nodded. "Losing my mother was one of the worst days of my life. Neither I or Zor-El talked about it because it was too painful to bring up. But your mother comforted me shortly afterwards."

Her cousin smiled from hearing that. "Lara became a second mother to me and had been there for me when I needed her. That's why she and I were so close." Kara finished. Clark was still concerned about Allura's sudden appearance.

"I know I just met here back there, but can you give me a quick overview?" Kara frowned at him. "If you're asking if she is anything like Zor-El, then the answer is no. Allura is a lot more like me…in a good way." she added when she saw the skeptical look on Clark's face.

Clark then looked back at Allura, who was studying the kitchen with curiosity, then back at Kara. "I guess seeing her again made you feel happier since Brainiac 5 left." Kara nodded.

"More than I can say." Clark then gave in. "Alright, she can eat with us." Kara smiled as she hugged him. "Thanks, Clark! I'll go and tell her!" But before she went back into the kitchen, Clark told her to wait.

"What is it now?" "Did Allura say anything back at the fortress about how she got there?" he asked. "I wanted to hear how she could be here, but I decided it would be better if she told both of us here while we eat. She agreed."

Kara then headed into the kitchen to tell her mother that she can eat with them. Though he was still suspicious about all of this, Clark thought it was good to see Kara happy again. He then laughed as Krypto came in and started licking her.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

Lois was sitting on the couch in deep thought, while looking at her old article about Lex's experiments at the dam. She wasn't thinking about what kind of potential threat Talia could be or about Lucy starting a new job. No, she was thinking about her injuries.

Chloe and Lucy were out and Brian had left town to stay with his parents, who now lived in Canada. She was stunned to hear that he had left so soon after making amends, but she figured he needed to be away from all the craziness for awhile.

Lois thought how all those serious wounds would be gone in a matter of hours when they should've taken weeks to heal. _'Heal'._ That word trigged another, similar memory in the not so distant past.

When she went to investigate at Reeve's Dam, she got into a fight with a security guard who stabbed her in the gut with a knife. She tried to call Chloe, telling her what happened, but she collapsed and passed out. She was bleeding badly.

When she woke up, she saw that the wound had completely vanished, though the blood still stained there. She quickly found Chloe lying not far from her, unconscious.

At first she thought one of Lex's men did something to her at the dam. But now, she was having other thoughts. This was the second time she had been severely wounded and had her wounds disappear without a trace.

The only other odd thing was that Chloe was pale and apparently near death at the dam. When she asked Chloe about the incident, she merely said that one of Lex's henchmen clubbed her from behind and must've ran away when the dam broke apart.

However, after learning that Chloe was a meteor freak, Lois began to wonder what kind of power she had. And now she might be finally understanding what really happened. Lois started to smile.

"Of course, it all makes sense!" Lois said. "What makes sense?" asked Chloe, who just walked in. Lois quickly put away the article and tried to act normal.

"Oh nothing! I was just thinking about all the ways Talia Ducard could be sleazy and underhanded." she replied quickly. Chloe laughed.

"Lois, just because Luthorcorp has a new head honcho doesn't mean it's bad news. Who knows, maybe this Talia could give the clean slate that Luthorcorp needs." Lois looked at her cousin like she had two heads.

"Are you listening to yourself? You sound just like Clark; he practically said the same thing earlier. I'm telling you, Luthorcorp _never_ had a boss with a heart since Lionel started it. I've heard from her today that she knew Lex's family."

Chloe nodded understandably. "I get what you're saying, Lois. But don't jump the gun yet; let's see what she does with all those resources before we judge her, okay?" Lois nodded. "Fine, cuz. Where's Lucy?"

"She's downstairs with Ron; we bumped into him here and asked if he could talk to Lucy for a bit, and Lucy and I didn't mind in the slightest." she said with a playful smile. Lois looked surprised again.

"He wanted to talk to my little sister, and you just left them alone together?" she asked incredulously. Chloe chuckled. "It's just a friendly chat. I'm sure they're not getting together."

At that moment, Lucy walked in. She looked happier than either of them had seen. "Guess what guys? Ron and I are dating!" she said with glee. Lois then turned back to Chloe, looking positively annoyed.

"Not getting together, huh cupid?" she said sarcastically. Chloe couldn't retort, obviously surprised too. Lucy was confused.

"Aren't you guys happy that I'm in love?" she asked. Lois and Chloe smiled and each hugged Lucy. "I'm happy you found a boyfriend. And so is your sister, isn't she?" Chloe asked Lois.

"Oh sure! I know Ron; he's a decent guy and I trust him." Then Lois looked suddenly stern. "But if he breaks your heart, I'll kill him." They all laughed.

"Well, I've got to take a shower. Be out in a bit." Chloe said as she got to her bedroom to undress. Now that they were alone, Lois could get really serious.

"Lucy, are you sure you want to start dating now? You just a job!" she exclaimed. Lucy smiled. "I know, but it will work out. We've got all the details pinned down. We go out to dinner tomorrow night. It is okay with you, isn't it Lo?" she asked.

Lois smiled. "Of course, you deserve to be happy after everything you've just been through." Lois hugged her again. Lucy then looked anxious. "But I don't think dad should know; he wouldn't approve." she said.

Lois agreed; she knew that their dad was extremely strict when it came to his "little girls" dating. Then she came up with a _temporary_ solution. "Tell you what; I won't tell dad if you help me keep a secret from Chloe." Lucy looked confused.

"What secret?" she asked. Lois then leaned in and whispered. "I just found out something big about Chloe. Can I count on you to keep it to yourself? I don't want her to know that we know." "Why keep anything from our cousin?" she asked.

"Because it is her secret and it wouldn't be right if we told her we knew before she is ready to tell us herself." Lucy nodded. "Alright, whatever it is, I can handle it." Lois then whispered her discovery in her ear.

Lucy looked shocked. "She's one of those meteor freaks I've heard about?" she exclaimed quietly. Lois nodded. "Jimmy accidentally let it slip. She doesn't know that I know and I want to keep it that way for a while."

"Oh sure. It's safe with me. So what kind of ability does she have?" Lucy asked. "Well, I think she can heal injuries, no matter how severe." Lucy was stunned. "Really? How do you know?"

Lois looked to make sure Chloe wasn't around before she told Lucy about the Reeve's Dam incident. "When I woke up, my stab wound was gone and Chloe was lying next to me, unconscious. I think she used her healing power to save me and it drained her." she finished.

Lucy was awed by the story. "How do you know it really was Chloe?" "Because the same thing happened last night at the hospital. My cuts and bruises were gone when I woke up. I'm sure Chloe snuck in and healed me. It's the only explanation." Lois said.

Lucy didn't know what to say. "Talk about being gifted." she said, impressed. "Yeah, so please keep this btw us?" Lois asked again. Lucy nodded, smiling. "You got it, Lo."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Clark, Kara, and Allura sat down and began eating their meal. Allura hesitated due to the fact she never had Earth cooking before. One bite from the steak though, and she instantly loved it.

"This is delicious! You are a good cook, Kal-El! Thank you." Clark smiled. "Your welcome, Aunt Allura." Kara then spoke after she took a bite out of her potato.

"Mother, how did you survive that terrorist attack that supposedly killed you?" she asked. "And how did you appear at the fortress?" Clark asked.

Allura looked confused. "Zor-El found me in the wreckage, barely alive, and put me in a stasis crystal so I could heal, apparently for years. Why would you think I was dead?" she asked. The cousins looked confused now.

"My father told me you died in the attack years ago." Kara answered. Allura looked surprised. "He _told_ you I was dead? Why would your own father lie to you?" Clark came up with an explanation.

"He probably didn't want Kara to come find you and try to help. Zor-El wanted to move on, particularly to my mother." Allura was even more surprised. "He left me in that stasis crystal so he could have Lara?! I cannot believe it! I thought Zor-El loved me!" Allura said in shock.

Kara held her hand tightly. "Zor-El fooled me too, mother." "Kara, what did your father do while I was locked away?" Allura asked. Together, Clark and Kara told her all of Zor-El's misdeeds up till his final defeat.

When they were done, Allura was overcome with anger and grief. "Everything he's done: trying to kill his own brother so he could have Lara to himself, cooperating with General Zod, destroying our home planet and killing everyone on it, and using our own daughter as a tool to take Earth…it's all _unforgivable_." she said disdainfully.

Clark and Kara agreed whole heartedly. "Zor-El was an evil man. But we don't have to worry about him anymore." Clark said softly. "Yeah, he can no longer harm anyone…not in the state he's in anyway." she said in agreement.

Allura wept as she hugged Kara. Clark went over and laid a hand on her shoulder. He knew it couldn't be easy for her to accept that everything she knew had been taken away, and it was worse because she was married to the man responsible for all of it.

After a few moment, Allura had released her daughter and regained her composure. "Are you going to be alright, mother?" Kara asked kindly. Allura slowly nodded. "I will be. Thank you Kara."

They ate in silence for awhile. When they were done, Clark and Kara cleared and washed the dishes. They, along with Allura, then moved to the living room. When everyone was settled, Clark spoke to his aunt again.

"Aunt Allura, you still never told us how you came here to Earth." Allura straightened herself up. "I used a portal that connected Kandor to your fortress." Clark and Kara were caught off guard by that revelation.

"Kandor still exists?" Kara asked, speechless. Allura nodded. "How is that possible?" Clark asked. Allura smiled. "One good thing came from Zor-El." The cousins waited eagerly.

"From what I've learned after I was freed, he had designed a crystal dome to cover the city in the event that Krypton was no more. It was strong enough to survive the explosion and the city had drifted into space for several years."

"Zor-El told me that he was staying behind to protect Kandor. I thought it was just another one of his lies, but it looks like he was being serious." Kara said. "He must've made sure that the dome would activate before he used that portal to escape to limbo." Clark said.

"Kandor eventually landed on a planet that orbited around a red sun. The crystal dome retracted when the city made contact with the surface. We named the new world Rokyn, which means "Rao's Gift". We have lived there peacefully ever since."

Clark and Kara were amazed that more Kryptonians had survived the explosion other then Allura. "I was found and awakened by a miner who had gone to see any underground damage. I then returned to Kandor and learned from the Science Council about Krypton's fate." Allura continued.

"How many Kryptonians live in Kandor?" Clark asked. "About 100,000." Allura answered. Clark was astounded that _that_ many of his people had lived through the apocalypse of his home world.

"How long has Kandor been on Rokyn?" Kara asked. "Over 10 years ago. I was awakened shortly after arriving on Rokyn. When I learned that you and Zor-El were not among us, I had hoped that you had made it off somehow. We were searching for Kryptonian signals when we picked up one on Earth recently."

"And that's when you decided to form a portal to come here and find Kara?" Clark asked. His aunt nodded. "The council agreed and authorized the creation of that portal. I volunteered to step through and see what lay on the other side. And that's when I found my daughter, alive and well." she said as she smiled at Kara, who smiled back.

"I'm glad it was you who decided to come, mother. I've missed you so much." Allura smiled more. "I have missed you too, sweet heart." Allura then turned to Clark. "Thank you Kal-El for taking care of your cousin." Clark smiled and nodded.

"She's family; how could I not take her in?" he asked. Kara smiled at him before refocusing her attention on her mother. "How long do you plan to stay?" she asked. "Actually, I should be getting back now; the council would start to worry about my safety." she said as she got up.

"Do you want to come with me?" Clark and Kara got up too. "Not tonight. We could pay you and the rest of Kandor a visit tomorrow." Clark said. Allura and Kara agreed. Kara came up with a funny idea.

"Hey mother, when you return to Kandor, don't tell the council about Kal-El. That way, when we do visit, they will be very surprised." Allura liked the idea, though Clark was a little annoyed.

"Do we have to do that?" he asked. Both women laughed heartily. "Fine, I'll go along with it since it's a special occasion." he said, giving in. Allura then hugged Clark and her daughter one more time before walking outside and fly back to the fortress.

As they watched Allura fly away, Clark wrapped an arm around Kara's shoulder. "So Clark, what did you think of my mother?" she asked. Clark smiled at her. "I like her; she is _definitely_ a lot more like you…in a good way." he said, mimicking Kara's words earlier. They both laughed as they headed in the for night.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

"You all understand what you have to do?" Lucas asked to three people in the shadows. They all nodded. "Good, are there any questions?" One of them, who appeared to be wearing some kind of mask, raised a hand.

"Can this stuff really do the job?" the shadowed man asked, holding a syringe. Lucas nodded. "I'm positive, based on the info you've given me. Anyone else?" The shadowed one on the right, who appeared to be have a blue gem on his chest, raised an arm.

"You do know I'm just in this for myself, right? I don't give a damn about this "plan" of yours, got that?" Lucas smirked. "Your personal reasons don't interest me, but I do understand. Any more?"

When Lucas saw that no more questions were asked, he ordered them to go. "Let me know when you've completed your objectives." The two shadowed men left at once. But the third one remained behind. Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"If you have something to say, why wait until the others have left?" Lucas asked. The third shadowed figure, a woman who appeared tall, slender, athletic, and seemed to have fur, approached Lucas and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I wanted to ask you when it was just you and me." she said seductively. Lucas smiled hungrily. "Good idea. And what is it you want to say?" The mysterious woman smiled. "I merely wanted to ask why you wanted to share eternity with me when this is over. I'm not exactly "normal" you know."

Lucas nodded. "Because you and I share the desire for just that, sweetie: Immortality. And Darkseid will give it to us when we succeed. Do you doubt me?" the woman then gave him a very hot kiss.

"Not at all." She then walked away to fulfill her mission. Lucas smiled, eagerly waiting for that glorious day to come.

To be continued.


	28. Chapter 27 Trip

Hey! We're back with Chapter 27! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 27: Trip

Kent Farm:

"So let me get this straight: You and Kara just met her mother, who you both thought was dead, and you are going to a city you thought was destroyed?" Oliver asked. Clark nodded.

Clark called Oliver and Chloe and told them to come over to tell them of their encounter with Allura and about their trip to Kandor. Needless to say, they were stunned.

"That's amazing! Who would've thought there were thousands of Kryptonians still alive and kicking out there?" Chloe replied. "I know; its seems too good to be true, but all of it is real." Kara said.

"How long do you two plan to be gone?" Oliver asked. "Kara and I have talked it over, and we've decided to spend at least a week in Kandor. I've already talked to Perry to give me a week off. I've told him that I'll be flying to Minnesota with my cousin to visit her mother." Clark answered confidently.

"Good cover story." Chloe replied. "Do you guys think you can handle everything here while Clark and I are gone?" Kara asked. Oliver and Chloe nodded. "Sure; you two have been through a few tough battles lately; I think a vacation sounds like a good idea." Oliver replied with a smile.

"If you need some help, just call J'onn J'onzz. He'll lend you a hand; he's as good in a fight as we are." Clark suggested. His friends nodded. Chloe widened her eyes for an instant, though nobody noticed.

"And how can we find him?" she asked. Clark and Kara looked at here, clearly surprised. "He is working at Metropolis Police Department. You've known for a while, haven't you?"

He was right. A few months ago, Clark was informed by J'onn that he got himself hired as a detective in Metropolis in order to be of some help. Clark told everyone he could trust about this, including Chloe. He was surprised she forgot about that.

Chloe looked ashamed as she shook her head. "Sorry Clark; with all the craziness that's been going on lately, it sorta slipped my mind." Clark thought it was odd that Chloe would forget something that important, but he decided to let it go.

"It's alright." he said. "We'll see you guys in a week." Kara said as she and Clark walked outside. "Let us know when you get back." Oliver said. "We will. Bye." Clark said as he and Kara flew off toward the fortress.

After the cousins disappeared in the sky, Oliver walked back to his car. "Later Chloe." he said as he got in. Chloe waved him off. She then walked to her car, while smiling strangely.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Fortress of Solitude:

When Clark and Kara arrived at the fortress, they found Allura waiting for them. She hugged them both. "Hi. Are you both ready?" she asked. Kara then gave Clark a quick reminder.

"Remember; once we are on Rokyn, we won't have our powers because of it's red sun. It would be just like back on Krypton." she advised. Clark understood. "Thanks for the heads up." He then turned to his aunt. "How does the portal work?" Clark asked.

Allura then held her hand atop of the console. "Just touch the uppermost crystal on the console, and the portal will open. Just hold my hands." she instructed. Once Clark and Kara did so, Allura touched the crystal.

After another bright flash of light, the three have disappeared from the fortress.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kandor:

Clark, Kara, and Allura found themselves standing within a vast, crystal like chamber. Clark was amazed at what he was seeing. The structure was different than that of the fortress.

His thoughts were distracted when he saw a group of people in unusual clothes approaching. The one up in front, a middle aged man, stopped in front of Allura and smiled.

"Allura." the man said. Allura nodded once. "Tyr-Us." she replied. Allura then motioned her daughter to come forward. Tyr-Us recognized her instantly. "Welcome back to Kandor, Kara. When your mother told us you had survived on Earth, we were very glad. We have missed you." Kara then bowed her head.

"I've missed you too. I've missed all of Krypton." she replied with a smile. "Then you must be happy to return here." Tyr-Us said. Kara nodded. "Definitely." Tyr-Us then noticed Clark in the back.

"Who is that?" he asked. The other Kryptonians with him also had puzzling looks. Kara then motioned for Clark to step up. After taking a deep breath, Clark walked slowly towards Tyr-Us.

He had never been so nervous before. Clark could tell that Tyr-Us was seen as a leader, possibly the leader of all Kandor. He stopped when he was a few feet away. "Tyr-Us, this is my cousin…Kal-El." Kara said with a smile.

Tyr-Us and the others were surprised instantly. Allura then turned to Clark. "This is Tyr-Us, head of the Kryptonian Council. His father was head before him. Tyr-Us took over shortly before Krypton was destroyed. He has proven to be a great and powerful leader; he assisted in your father's efforts to thwart General Zod." she said.

Clark then smiled at Tyr-Us. "Um…hi." he said. Tyr-Us and the rest of the council were even happier. "The son of Jor-El and Lara, yet another, and most unexpected, survivor! Why did you not tell us of him before, Allura?" he asked.

Allura snickered a bit. "I wanted it to be a surprise. Besides, it was Kara's idea." Everyone laughed heartily, including Clark. Tyr-Us then asked everyone to quiet down.

"This is a great day for Rokyn! Two survivors from the House of El have returned to Kandor! This calls for a celebration!" Everyone agreed completely. "We will prepare a feast at once!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Daily Planet:

Lois was searching for any and all info on Talia Ducard, anything that she did not mention in her interview. She was frustrated that she didn't find anything indicating she was lying. She groaned as she found another dead end.

"Having a bad day?" asked Jimmy, who just came in. Lois leaned back and sighed. "I've been trying to dig up on some dirt on Talia, but I'm coming up on empty. Clark sure picked a bad time to go out of town with Kara." Jimmy nodded.

"They'll be back in a week. But back to the point, Chloe told me about your obsession with finding out what's "evil" about her. Personally, I think you're taking this a little too personally." he suggested. Lois stared at him.

"I'm not obsessed!" she retorted. Jimmy didn't seem convinced. "Okay, maybe I am a _tad_ obsessive. But it's certainly not personal!" she said. "Still not buying it." he said with a smile.

Sighing again, Lois gave up. "What do you want, Jimmy?" He then remembered why he came down to see her. "Actually, I was kind of hoping that you'd do a small favor for me." Lois looked curious. "What's that?"

Jimmy then looked concerned. "I want you to talk to Chloe. She's been a little distant with me today and I'm clueless as to why." Lois looked puzzled. "Distant?" she asked, clearly surprised.

"Yeah. I haven't heard from her all day. We had this special lunch we planned for this afternoon at this fancy restaurant, but she didn't show up; she was suppose to meet me there. I tried to call her but she never answered, nor called me back. She's avoiding me."

Lois was surprised; it wasn't like Chloe to ditch her fiancé like that. "That doesn't sound like Chloe." "I know; could you go to Isis and talk to her, please? It's obvious she won't talk to me, but I thought that as her cousin, I thought you would have better luck." Jimmy suggested.

Lois nodded. "Alright; I'll have a good girl talk with her." Jimmy smiled gratefully. "Thanks a million, Lois!" he then left.

Lois straightened out her cluttered desk and headed off to chat with Chloe about her avoidance from Jimmy. She hoped that whatever was going on with her, it could be straightened out.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kandor:

The feast went perfectly. Tyr-Us had arranged everything and had Clark and Kara as the guests of honor. Clark saw dishes that were completely unfamiliar to him, but it all tasted wonderful.

Dozens of Kryptonians ate in a grand dining hall. To commemorate the occasion, Tyr-Us and the council cast a hologram over table, at the hall's crystal ceiling…a hologram of the House of El symbol.

While they ate, Clark and Kara told everyone what Earth was like and that they enjoyed living there. They also told them how they each survived Krypton's explosion. Tyr-Us was fascinated by the fact that Kryptonians have super abilities under Earth's yellow sun.

The happy mood was ended briefly, however, when Clark and Kara mentioned Zor-el's involvement in Krypton's destruction. Everyone was shocked by the revelation that Kara's father was responsible for their home being blown up.

When Clark told them of how Zor-el was defeated for good, the whole council felt he deserved to be in the Phantom Zone instead, but Tyr-Us thought it was best under the circumstances.

In turn, Clark was told a great deal about Kandor and how it had thrived on Rokyn. He looked forward to having a tour of the city. When Clark told Tyr-Us that he and Kara would be staying for a week, he was ecstatic.

"I will see to it that your first stay in Kandor will be one to remember, Kal-El. I will personally accompany you for a tour tomorrow." he said. Kara then spoke up.

"With all due respect, Tyr-Us, I would also like to come along. He would feel more comfortable if he is with someone he knows." Kara suggested. Allura and Tyr-Us nodded. "Of course Kara; you may accompany your cousin as well."

About an hour later, everyone began to return to their homes. Allura offered a spare room in her place for Clark, which he accepted gratefully. She then led Clark and Kara out of the dining hall to the outside.

Clark stared at the sky with wonder. It was mostly red with a shade of orange, due to the red sun. It was so different from the sky on Earth, but he felt it was still beautiful. Allura mentioned that her place was not far as they walked. As they walked, Clark saw with amazement at how everything resembled the fortress, only larger and more grand. He couldn't wait to see all of it.

They made it to Allura's place and went inside. It felt welcoming. He saw that Kara was smiling immensely. "Feels good to be "home" doesn't it?" Clark asked. Kara nodded. "It sure does." Clark then looked a little sad.

"I wish I could say the same." "Why say that?" Kara asked. Clark sighed. "It's just that you grew up in all of this; I was raised on Earth. This whole city is new to me. I know it's part of my birth home, but I can't help feel that I'm…out of place."

Kara hugged him. "Don't worry Clark; you're going to fit right in. My mother and I will help you adjust." Clark smiled as he followed Kara to where his room will be.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Metropolis Police Department:

J'onn was going over a case that he helped the police solve. It involved a murder and an innocent person being framed for it. With his years of crime fighting both on Mars and Krypton, plus with his powers, he had little to no trouble cracking the case.

He was going to put the file away when he the phone on his desk rang. "Detective John Jones." he said as he picked up. _"J'onn, it's Chloe. I need your help, since Clark and Kara are out of town for awhile."_

J'onn narrowed his eyes as he listened. "What's wrong, Miss Sullivan?" he asked. _"Lois has been kidnapped. I don't know who did it or why. I feel that you are the only one who can find her."_ The Martian remained calm.

"Do you know where she was last seen?" he asked.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Isis Foundation:

"I got a message from her saying that she was meeting me at the Isis Foundation, but she never showed up. I went outside to find her, but I found her cell phone on the sidewalk. What should I do?" she pleaded.

J'onn had taken a moment to respond. _"I have to finish filing a previous case, but I will meet up with you shortly. Wait at Isis until I arrive. Do you understand?" _he asked.

Chloe nodded. "Got it. Thanks J'onn." She then hung up her cell phone. She walked toward the computer room and opened it's doors. She then gave her strange smile again.

"Hey Lois. I hope you're feeling comfortable. Don't worry; this will be over soon." she said to Lois, who was lying unconscious on the floor. Chloe then began to drag her out.

To be continued.


	29. Chapter 28 Investigation

I'm back with Chapter 28! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 28: Investigation

Isis Foundation:

J'onn J'onzz had just walked into the meeting room, expecting to talk with Chloe about Lois' kidnapping. He wondered why Chloe would call him immediately before even trying the local authorities, or even Oliver Queen, first.

Whatever the reason, he promised to fill in for Clark while he and Kara are on Rokyn. If Chloe had to call him about Lois being kidnapped, then it must be something only he can handle at the moment.

However, when he stepped into the meeting room, it was empty. Chloe was nowhere to be found. "Miss Sullivan?" he called. No answer came. She said she would be here when he arrived, and yet she wasn't. J'onn felt uneasy about this.

He had checked with the receptionist when he stepped inside the building; she said that Chloe would be waiting in the meeting room. He then decided to check in the computer room, but when he opened the doors he still found no one.

He did, however, find a cell phone on the keyboard. Confused, he checked the outgoing calls and discovered that it was Chloe's phone. J'onn was growing more concerned.

'_It seems whoever took Lois also took Chloe, judging by the fact that the kidnapper leaves the victim's cell phones behind.'_ But Lois' phone was not found; J'onn thought that the kidnapper may have come back here for it.

But then, why would the person take Lois' phone and kidnap Chloe but leave Chloe's phone behind? As he thought this, Chloe's phone received a text message. Curious, J'onn opened the message.

"_Sorry _"detective"_, but you arrived too late; Miss Sullivan and her cousin are mine now. If you want to find them alive, then meet me at the peer tonight at midnight. I'll be waiting in warehouse 33. Come alone. Oh, one more thing…you might want to leave Isis before time is up."_

J'onn wondered what "before time is up" meant. He then heard a beep and looked up at the Isis main monitor. He was shocked to see a countdown starting from one minute. "No." he said as he immediately left the room and back into the lobby.

He saw that there were quite a lot of people. When he ran in, he surprised everyone. "Everyone, get out of the building now! It's going to explode in less than a minute!"

Panicking, all of the young meteor infected and the present staff left Isis at once. Before leaving herself, the receptionist used the intercom to tell all visitors and staff to leave the building immediately through the closest emergency exits.

40 seconds: Once the lobby was empty, J'onn made a quick mind sweep of the building; he sensed that there were still a lot people and that they were all evacuating.

30 seconds: Just when he thought he was the only one in the building, he heard a yell from upstairs. He super sped to the source and saw that a young girl had tripped over on one of the stairs. She had sprained her ankle while she was running toward the stairs.

20 seconds: J'onn picked her up. "Is anyone else in the building?" he asked, just to make sure. The girl shook her head. "I think it's just me." J'onn nodded. "Hold on." He then carried her at normal human speed; he couldn't risk showing her his abilities.

10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

J'onn had just made it out with the girl when the whole building erupted in explosive flames. They fell from the impact of the blast. J'onn covered her to protect her from the debris.

He felt weak from the massive flames that appeared, but he still held on to protect the girl. When there was no more falling debris, he gave the girl to one of the Isis staff.

"Thank you, mister." the girl said gratefully. The Martian smiled. "It's my job." he replied weakly. He looked back to see the Isis Foundation had been reduced to a flaming heap of rubble. Absolutely nothing remained standing.

"Did everyone make it out?" J'onn asked the crowd. Everyone looked at one another and all nodded. J'onn felt relived that no one was killed in the explosion. He backed away from the flames to recover his strength.

"Hey detective, how did you know this was going to happen?" a teenaged boy meteor freak from the lobby asked. "Someone left me a memo up there." he simply said.

As the police and fire trucks arrived on the scene, J'onn knew that whoever took Chloe and Lois was no mere kidnapper…he was a psychopath. _'If it's a midnight meeting he wants, so be it.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kandor:

The next day on Rokyn, Clark began his tour of Kandor with Kara and Tyr-Us. Time was different up there; days went by a little faster up on Rokyn than on Earth.

The cousins wore Kryptonian clothes. Kara wore a dress just like the one she wore when she left Krypton, and Clark wore all white the House of El symbol on the chest. He felt awkward wearing clothes that were not made on Earth.

They began by showing Clark the various buildings and how everyday living in Kandor was like. Along the way, Clark saw that all the buildings, though made of crystals like the fortress, looked much more dignified and had a "royal" feel to it.

In fact, to Clark, the whole city felt like one big crystal castle. Everything, including the crystals they were made from, seemed smooth and frictionless. He was amazed by it all.

Also, the more Clark looked around and learned, the more he felt like an outcast. He was used to every tradition and custom on Earth. It was his home because he was raised there. Here on Rokyn, he actually felt like an "alien", even though he was with his own people. Still, he was enjoying the tour.

Tyr-Us showed him the building where communication was operated, and explained that each building has it's own communication console; just touch a certain crystal, touch the holographic symbol of the location you wish to contact, and you'll be business. The main building is what powers the com consoles.

Kara then showed her cousin the school that was there. They saw teenage Kryptonians walking in for classes, all looking eager to learn. The building itself looked like a much smaller version of the fortress.

Kara told him that she used to go to a school like that one before Krypton was destroyed. "Do you miss all the kids that went there?" Clark asked. Kara nodded. "I do; I had a lot of friends there. I wish that they were here too."

They then had lunch at a restaurant and Tyr-Us showed Clark all the different foods they have on a holographic menu. Just like the feast last night, Clark saw that all the dishes looked strange, but at the same time looked good.

After their meal, Tyr-Us led the cousins to the final stop on their tour. "Kal-El, welcome to the Hall of Remembrance." Clark looked with awe at the many holographic faces of, he assumed, famous Kryptonians.

"Here is where we keep records and personal data on all Kryptonians that have made a difference in the past." he said as the moved inside. Clark was amazed by all the faces he saw and what they all did to earn a place here.

"Ah, here we are. I think you'll enjoy _this_ one the most, Kal-El." Tyr-Us said as he and Kara stopped at a certain image. Curious, Clark moved up to see the image of a good looking man with brilliantly white hair. He had the look of pride and kindness on his face.

"Who is he?" Clark asked. Kara answered for him. "That's Jor-El." she said, smiling. At once, Clark became completely astounded. "My father?" he asked, stunned. Tyr-Us and Kara nodded.

Clark studied every detail on Jor-El's face. He knew what his father sounded like since he heard his voice coming from his space ship years ago. But all the time he heard him, Clark had never known what he looked like.

Seeing his father's face for the first time was a powerful moment for Clark. At last, he saw the face of the man who had sent him to survive on Earth; the man that prepared him for the destiny he was to fulfill. Clark's eyes started to water.

"Your father was a great man, Kal-El. Not only was he one of Krypton's most gifted scientists, but he was also a hero. He helped bring an end to Zod's reign of terror." Tyr-Us said passionately.

Clark then looked sad. "But he couldn't save Krypton from blowing up." he replied softly. "No, but he made another big difference." "What was that?" Clark asked the council leader.

"He saved your life by sending you to Earth. He insured that our legacy will live on through you." he replied. "And you have me to help you on the way." Kara replied. Clark smiled at them both.

"Thank you." Tyr-Us and Kara nodded back, smiling. Clark then focused on his father once more. _'And thank you…Father.'_

At the end of the day, Tyr-Us bid the cousins farewell as he went back to the council building for an evening meeting. Clark and Kara waved him goodbye as they headed back to Allura's house.

"So, did you enjoy your tour of Kandor?" Kara asked. Clark nodded. "More than I can say. Thanks for being with me, Kara." he said gratefully. Kara smiled back. "Anytime, cousin."

On the way, they heard a voice. "Kara! Is that really you?" They turned around to see a young, brown haired man who looked around Clark's age coming out of a building a block away. He was panting a bit, but smiled big time.

Kara was shocked to see who it was. "Augo?!" The guy smiled as he hugged her. "Yes, it's me Kara! I'm alive…and so are you!" Kara then shoved him off. "Get away from me!!" she said angrily.

Both Clark and Augo were surprised by her behavior. "Kara, what's wrong? Aren't you happy to see me?" he asked. Kara looked anything less than happy. "Not in the very least." she replied hatefully. Augo was shocked by her reaction.

"You know him?" Clark asked. Kara nodded. "He _used_ to be an old boyfriend of mine back on Krypton. He was a loyal disciple of Zor-El and like him, he strongly believed that it was our planet's fate to be destroyed."

Clark looked at Augo more seriously now. "I thought you died in the explosion." Kara asked her old boyfriend.

Augo shook his head. "I nearly did. After you trapped me in that elevator and sent me into Krypton's core, I was able to stop the elevator and return to a safe place before the explosion. I've been living peacefully since then."

Kara snarled. "I doubt that." Augo took a step forward. "Kara, I know how upset you must be with losing our home world, but it's fate could not be changed. Your father convinced me of that. Now I'm planning to start over, I hoped that we could be together again…just like we used to."

She stared back with hate. "That's never going to happen." she answered spitefully. Augo looked sad, but did not give up. "Look Kara, I want you to give me another chance, please." he said as he approached her again.

Kara backed away. "I wouldn't take you back even if you were the last man alive in the galaxy!" she yelled. Augo still moved toward her. "Kara, please…" But then Clark decided it was time for him to step in as he stood btw his cousin and Augo.

"Leave my cousin alone." Augo looked stunned for a second. "You must be Kal-El. I heard about your survival yesterday. I had thought Kara would've been the only one to escape Krypton's explosion."

"You were wrong. Now back away." he warned. Augo shook his head. "Kara may be your cousin, but she's the love of my life. You can't stand in the way of me taking her back." he stated. "You won't take me back!" Kara shouted.

"You heard her; she's not interested." Clark said. Augo stood there, staring angrily into Clark's eyes. Just when Kara thought there was going to be a fight, Augo finally backed off.

"This isn't over Kara. We are meant to be, you will see! Your cousin can't protect you from your true love!" Augo said before he walked out of sight. Kara sighed. "Thanks Clark." Her cousin nodded.

"No problem. Augo doesn't seem like the guy that would take a hint, does he?" he asked. Kara shook her head. "No. I could've handled him myself, though." Clark chuckled.

"I know, but I thought it would help if we both gave him the message." Kara smiled gratefully. "Do you think he'll come after you again?" Clark asked. Kara frowned. "More than likely." Clark nodded.

"Then I'll make sure he doesn't come anywhere near you." he said as they resumed their walk back to Allura's house. As they turned the corner, Augo peaked at them again, looking determined.

"You will be mine Kara, I swear it."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Warehouse 33:

It was midnight as J'onn arrived at the designated warehouse. He cautiously looked around the area for anything out of the ordinary, and found nothing. He then found the door and opened it slowly.

As he stepped in, he saw that all was dark and quiet. Humans would have to have a flashlight to see in there, but thanks to his infrared vision, J'onn didn't need one. Everything in sight had reddish hue as he looked.

The warehouse itself was a big place packed with big, wooden crates. When no one was in sight, J'onn used his mind to see if he can find Chloe, Lois, and the kidnapper. But to his surprise, he only found one mind in there.

He quickly moved to the source behind several crates to the left. J'onn found Lois tied up, gagged, and unconscious. He then tried to scan again for Chloe and the kidnapper, but still found no one else. J'onn grew more suspicious as he untied Lois.

As he proceeded, Lois slowly woke up. When she saw that she was in somewhere unfamiliar with her mouth gagged, she widened her eyes and started to move rapidly. "Calm down, Miss Lane." J'onn said as he got the last rope off of her.

Lois stood still, her eyes widened with fear. As soon as J'onn freed her, Lois removed the tape covering her mouth, she moved away immediately. "Back off, buddy! I warn you, touch me again and I will kick your…" but J'onn interrupted her.

"I am John Jones of the Metropolis Police Department. I'm here to rescue you and your cousin." he said calmly as he showed her his badge. Slowly, Lois calmed down. "Oh, in that case, thanks for coming." She then remembered Chloe when he mentioned her.

"Chloe? Where is she? Have you found her yet?" she asked frantically. J'onn shook his head. "Not yet; you're the first one I've found." Lois looked worried now for Chloe's safety. "Do you know who brought you here?" J'onn asked.

Lois shook her head at once. "No; someone clubbed me from behind the moment I walked into the Isis meeting room and I blacked out. I had gone there to check on Chloe because Jimmy, her fiancé, told me that she had been distant with him today and asked me if I could talk to her."

J'onn narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean "distant"?" he asked. Lois then told him what Jimmy told her about how Chloe had been so evasive and even refused to meet him at a restaurant they were supposed to have lunch at.

"You see, I know my cousin and she would _never_ leave Jimmy hanging like that! It's not in her character to ignore the man she loves!" J'onn nodded. "I believe you." Hearing about Chloe's unusual behavior made the Martian even more suspicious about the situation. "How did you know I was here?" Lois asked.

"Your cousin called and told me you were kidnapped. I was supposed to meet her at the Isis Foundation earlier, but whoever took you went back for her and left her cell phone for me to find." Lois listened intently.

"The kidnapper left a text message in her phone telling me to meet him here at midnight if I was to find you and Chloe alive and well. And that person left me another surprise." he said with a humorless tone.

"A phone number?" Lois asked. J'onn shook his head. "A one minute countdown on the Isis main monitor. Luckily, I've managed to get everyone out in time before the building exploded." Lois was shocked.

"The Isis Foundation was blown to bits?!" she asked in shock. "Yes; the kidnapper somehow rigged the place to explode after I found that text message. He must've been watching me somehow to know exactly when to activate the countdown."

Lois felt scared now. "The guy that nabbed me and my cousin blew up a building with innocent people inside? What the hell was the point in that stunt?" she asked fearfully.

Before J'onn could answer, they heard a crate fall over on the other side of the warehouse. "Stay here." J'onn instructed as he moved toward the source of the sound with his gun. Lois stayed where she was, afraid of what, or who, the detective will find.

J'onn never used his firearm since he was hired as detective; he merely used it for intimidation. He wondered if there was someone else here, why couldn't he sense that person's mind earlier along with Lois'? This was getting stranger by the minute.

As he stood a few feet away as he heard footsteps now. "Metropolis police! Come out with your hands up!" he yelled. Both J'onn and Lois were surprised to see none other than Chloe emerge from the crates.

"Whoa, hold it! I'm not someone to shoot at!" she yelled. Lois smiled as she came out. "Chloe, thank God you're alright!" Before Lois could get any closer, J'onn stopped her. "Wait a moment, Miss Lane. Don't move Miss Sullivan." he said.

The cousins looked at him strangely. "Hey, that's my cousin over there. I should be hugging her right now." Lois said. "Yeah, why not let us get a little closer?" Chloe asked.

J'onn still hadn't lowered his weapon. Something was not right, he could feel it. If Chloe had been here the whole time, why didn't he sense her mind like he did with Lois? And where was the kidnapper? "Are you alright, Miss Sullivan?" he asked. Chloe nodded. "Just fine, now can you please put the gun away?"

The Martian remained pointing his gun at her. "Not until you've answered a few questions. First of all, did you see who attacked you at Isis?" he asked. Chloe shook her head. "Sorry, no. I was waiting for you back at Isis when someone hit me and I found myself here." she answered.

"Were you aware that you had a "romantic" lunch with your fiancé today?" J'onn asked. Chloe looked confused, but answered quickly. "Of course I did." "Then why didn't you meet him there and not tell him, or even call him back?" he continued.

Chloe appeared to be struggling with an answer. "I…had a more important obligation to tend too. It couldn't have waited…" "What the hell could be more important than spending time with the man you are going to marry?" Lois asked loudly.

Chloe began to sweat. "What is this, Family Feud?" "Answer her, Miss Sullivan." J'onn said. Chloe narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you just read my mind, detective?"

J'onn smirked a bit. "If I could, I would." Chloe chuckled oddly. "Oh, I know you can…unlike me." she said in a tone with hatred and jealousy. Lois was puzzled by Chloe's response, and so was J'onn.

"Chloe, what are you talking about?" Lois asked. Chloe smiled like an insane maniac. Ignoring her, Chloe turned to J'onn, who still looked confused. "Still haven't figured it out yet…_J'onn_?"

J'onn's eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock as he heard Chloe used his name in it's Martian dialect. Suddenly, it became clear that the person he was talking to wasn't Chloe Sullivan. It was someone extremely dangerous…someone J'onn thought was dead.

"It can't be." he whispered to himself, completely shocked. Lois looked more confused than ever. "What's going on? What is with you Chloe?!" she asked hysterically. "That is _not_ your cousin!" J'onn said strongly to her. Lois was stunned to hear that.

"What do you mean? Of course she's my…" But before Lois finished, Chloe laughed like a madman. "He's right." she said as her eyes glowed a bright red and starting laughing again. She then began to alter her appearance as she laughed.

Lois screamed as she saw her cousin slowly transform into a tall, bald, green, muscular man with blue garbs and wore gold chains around his neck. J'onn recognized him instantly. "Ma'alefa'ak!" he said softly.

Ma'alefa'ak smiled insanely. "Long time no see…brother!"

To be continued.


	30. Chapter 29 Score

Hey everybody! Before you read my latest chapter, I want to let you all know that this is my last chapter before Christmas. I plan to spend a lot of time with my family. I'll update again after New Years, I promise. Here is Chapter 29! Merry Christmas!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 29: Score

Kandor:

Kara was sitting alone in her bedroom. She had gone there after she had dinner with her mother and Clark. She sat on her bed with troubled thoughts. It was at that moment that Allura walked in.

"May I come in, Kara?" she asked. Kara looked up and smiled. "Of course." she replied. Allura then sat next to her daughter, looking concerned. "You haven't said much during dinner. Is everything alright?" Kara didn't reply right away.

"Clark and I bumped into someone I thought was dead, and whom I wasn't happy to see again." she answered calmly. "Who?" Allura asked. Kara didn't look at her mother.

"A boy named Augo." She told Allura all about him, and that when Augo tried to convince her to take him back, Clark defended her. Allura put a hand on Kara's knee.

"It must've troubled you greatly to see him again." she said after a moment. Kara looked troubled herself. "I used to like him…a lot. But after I learned what kind of a person he really was, it showed how naïve I was."

Allura smiled. "I'm glad Kal-El was there to back you up, sweetie." Kara smiled again. "Me too, mother." After a moment of silence, Allura asked Kara another personal question.

"I am curious. Did you find anyone…special on Earth?" Kara forced another smiled on her face. "Well, I did spend time with a certain human, but things didn't quite work out btw us." she replied, thinking of Jimmy.

Kara continued. "Then I met someone I truly fell in love with, and he felt the same about me. His name was Brian. We've been through a lot together and had a lot in common." Allura smiled back.

"I'm happy for you, Kara. At least you've found someone who truly loved you back, not like me." Allura said, feeling a bit ashamed. Kara turned to her mother, surprised.

"Mother, don't blame yourself for what happened btw you and father! He deceived both of us." Allura smiled again. "You are right, dear. So, how is this boy you love so much?" she asked. Kara frowned once more.

"He left recently. When he did, it broke my heart." Allura looked stunned. "Why did he leave a wonderful girl like you?" Kara smiled appreciatively for a brief moment. "He felt he was causing more harm than good, so he returned to his home to keep everyone, especially me, safe."

Allura then hugged her daughter. "Once again, I'm sorry." Kara hugged her back, and started to cry. "When I bumped into Augo, and remembered the good times we had together, it reminded me of the good times I had with Brian. I miss Brian so much!" Kara barely said above a whisper.

Allura held her tight. "I am sure you do, Kara. It is hard losing someone you love more than life itself. Losing the one who could possibly be your soul mate can be very devastating." Kara nodded. "That's how I felt about Brian." She said no more after that.

Unbeknownst to them, Clark was listening outside the bedroom. After dinner he cleaned the kitchen while his aunt went to check on Kara. After hearing how upset she still was over losing Brainiac 5, it made him sorry for her and a little sad.

He was sad because he had yet to find that special someone too: _His_ soul mate. As he walked away, Clark began to wonder if there was a woman on Earth who could possibly fill his heart with the same love and joy Kara felt when she was with Brainiac 5.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Warehouse 33:

Lois stood there in that dark warehouse, completely shocked at the scene that she had just witnessed. The person she thought was Chloe turned out to be an imposter who wasn't even human.

As if that wasn't shocking enough, the imposter just claimed that John Jones, the Metropolis detective that freed Lois, was his brother. Her mind flooded with questions, and she no idea which one to ask first for several seconds.

"_B-Brother_?! You and that…_thing _are related?!" Lois managed to spit out as she asked the detective. J'onn didn't look very happy at the moment. "It's not something I'm proud to admit." he replied harshly. Ma'alefa'ak laughed again.

"What's wrong J'onn, not happy to see your brother again after so long?" he asked mockingly. J'onn filled up with hate as he looked at Ma'alefa'ak.

"We stopped being brothers the day you took away everything I loved." he said in a calm hate. His brother continued to smile remorselessly. Lois, throwing caution to the wind, stepped a little closer to Ma'alefa'ak.

"Miss Lane, stay back! He is dangerous!" J'onn warned. Lois still felt determined to get answers. "Newsflash, he isn't the first deranged psychopath I tangoed with! I know what I'm doing!" She then focused her attention on the renegade Martian.

"Alright you overgrown green bean, tell me what you've done with Chloe!" she demanded. Ma'alefa'ak snickered. "She's alive…for now." Lois sneered. "Where is she?" "Sorry, kinda confidential." Lois was about to attack him when J'onn grabbed her arm.

"Lois, let me handle him. You get out of here and find a safe place to hide." he instructed. Lois, stubborn as she was, refused. "No way! I'm not leaving till I get some answers!" J'onn's eyes glowed red and Lois instantly fell unconscious. He caught her as she fell.

He used his mind to knock her out. He then turned to Ma'alefa'ak. "Let me put her somewhere out of the way." he requested. Ma'alefa'ak didn't seem to care as he shrugged.

"Hey, I've been searching for you for about 2 years. A few more seconds wouldn't hurt." he said. J'onn then super sped out and dropped off Lois at her apartment at the Talon. He then zoomed back at the warehouse to face Ma'alefa'ak.

"Ready to settle the score?" Ma'alefa'ak asked. J'onn looked ready to kill. "After you answer a few questions first." The malevolent Martian smirked. "Why don't you get the answers from peaking inside my head?" he mocked.

"I prefer that people give me answers willingly than by force." J'onn replied. Ma'alefa'ak shook his head. "You haven't changed one bit, J'onn. Always playing by the rules and putting your life on the line for others."

"And that's why you blew up the Isis Foundation: You were toying with me?" J'onn asked. Ma'alefa'ak smiled. "Pretty much." J'onn scowled. "Innocent people could've died there because of you!"

"I take it then you got everyone out in time?" Ma'alefa'ak asked. "I did, no thanks to you." J'onn answered. "What can I say? I wanted to have some fun." Ma'alefa'ak said without a care.

"After I took those two human females, I rigged that place to blow after you got that text from me. It was probably the most fun I've had in years." he said. "Why did you take Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane, of all people to get to me?" J'onn asked.

Ma'alefa'ak smirked. "After getting frustrated at not finding any leads to your location, I got a call from a reliable source recently telling me how I can get my hands on you. We did each other a favor." he answered.

"Who?" The vile alien continued to smile as he explained. "Lucas Luthor. He told me about the Kryptonian called Clark Kent, and that Chloe and Lois are good friends of his. I didn't see how that would help me find you, but when I saw Clark's face, I went for it without anymore hesitation." he said.

J'onn was curious about that last sentence. "Why would Clark Kent's face motivate you to kidnap his closest friends to lure me out?" His twisted brother still smirked. "First ask me about why I took so long to find you."

J'onn decided to play along to get all the answers. "You said you've been hunting me for almost 2 years, and yet much more time had passed btw the day you killed my people and the last few years. What took you so long to come find me?" J'onn asked.

Ma'alefa'ak then snarled, letting his hate show. "I thought you were dead! You were supposed to have died from H'ronmeer's Curse back on Mars, and yet you've survived! How did you escape the wrath of my plague?!" he asked angrily.

J'onn smiled a bit. "I got lucky." he simply said. Ma'alefa'ak growled. "What about you? I thought the plague killed you too." Ma'alefa'ak shook his head. "No; the curse had no effect on me…mostly because I created it." he replied.

J'onn shook with fury at that little fact. "How did you learn of my survival?" Ma'alefa'ak smiled again. "Why don't you read my mind and see? I insist." J'onn hesitated. "For some reason, I couldn't sense your mind when I arrived here…" but Ma'alefa'ak had cut him off.

"Oh that; Lucas gave me a little chip powerful enough to shield my mind from any mental penetration from people like you." He then pulled it off from the back of his head; it was no bigger than a penny.

"I wore this before I set my plans into motion to catch you off guard. But now that we are face to face once more, I have no need of it." He then crushed it in his hand and tossed the remains away. "Now see how I learned about you being alive."

J'onn still hesitated a bit, but finally decided to read his brother's insane mind. When he did, he saw everything from Ma'alefa'ak's point of view.

Ma'alefa'ak was sitting alone underground, beneath the Martian surface. He relished in his isolation and enjoyed every second of the dreary quiet.

That quiet was disturbed when he heard a loud thump on the surface above. Other than the occasional sand storms, there had been no noise above ground. Curious, Ma'alefa'ak walked out to investigate.

It was a barren wasteland on the surface of Mars, nothing to see but destroyed remains of it's once peaceful civilization. As he walked along he found something, or someone, lying on the ground, apparently moaning.

'_Who or whatever it is, it's obviously in pain…I'll go torment it for some fun.'_ He thought as he approached it, while smiling. What he saw was a humanoid life form in strange garments with black hair. But what was most notable was that he had stone-like skin.

When the alien saw Ma'alefa'ak, he snorted. "Looks like I'm not alone on Mars after all." He sounded weak. Ma'alefa'ak smiled cruelly. "Aren't you far from home, freak?" he asked. The stone faced alien laughed humorlessly.

"You have no idea." he replied. Ma'alefa'ak kicked him in the stomach, which caused the alien great pain. "Pathetic. Can't you even get up?" he asked with a chuckle. The alien sneered.

"If I wasn't so weak I'd spring back up and kick your ass." The wicked Martian stared down at him indifferently. "Whatever is ailing you, it makes me all warm and toasty inside. I think I just found a new hobby in my isolation…tormenting you."

The alien moaned even more as he saw Ma'alefa'ak walk away, returning to his solitude. "I'll be back later for some more fun." he said. What the stone alien said next, however, made Ma'alefa'ak stop dead in his tracks.

"Man, you're just as much of an asshole as the other Martian." Ma'alefa'ak stood stock still from hearing those words. Surely he misunderstood the creature? Ma'alefa'ak turned around and slowly walked back to his tormented visitor.

He stared down the being and stared with shock. "What did you just say?" he asked slowly. The alien smirked. "What, did you really think you're the only Martian alive?" he asked, amused at Ma'alefa'ak's reaction.

Ma'alefa'ak's eyes widened and his mouth fell open, completely caught off guard by what he heard. _'Another Martian? No; that's impossible! I killed everyone on this planet with H'ronmeer's Curse! There is _no way_ anyone could've survived!'_

He then kneeled down and grabbed the alien by the shirt, with his eyes glowing red. "How do you know that there is another Martian?" he asked angrily. The alien continued to smile; for once, he wasn't the one being tormented.

"He just dropped me off here, right before you crawled out of the dirt. He tried to capture me once before, but I wounded him and he fled. He came back for me not long afterwards." he answered.

Ma'alefa'ak continued to be surprised. "I knew he was a Martian because he had glowing red eyes, just like you do." Ma'alefa'ak tightened his grip a bit more. "Tell me…what was his name?" he asked.

The alien kept his mouth shut; he wanted Ma'alefa'ak to be pissed off. "TELL ME NOW!!" he demanded. After another moment of silence, the alien gave the name of the Martian that brought him there.

"J'onn J'onzz." Ma'alefa'ak had let go of him. He expressed more than just plain shock now…he began to fill up with unbelievable rage. He felt like an extinct volcano that was about to finally explode.

Of all the possible survivors, Ma'alefa'ak never expected it to be his own brother. He was the one he wanted to kill the most. To hear of his escape from death infuriated him. Ma'alefa'ak screamed with fury and outrage, a scream no one but the stone alien could hear…

J'onn finally exited himself from Ma'alefa'ak's mind. He was pretty shocked himself. _'The last phantom…he told Ma'alefa'ak about me.'_ He stared back at Ma'alefa'ak's now very angry face. "Found what you were looking for, J'onny?"

The Martian detective took no pleasure from that memory. "You came to Earth after you've learned I was alive." he said. Ma'alefa'ak nodded. "I did. As I said, it took me nearly 2 years to track you down. And thanks to Lucas, I can finally complete my revenge." he replied with a twisted smile. He continued.

"Clark Kent looked similar to that rock faced freak, so I figured there was some kind of connection. I guessed that he knew you, and that if I impersonated one of Clark's friends, he could tell me where to find you. Glad I was right."

"You and Lucas worked together?" J'onn asked, puzzled. "We did; he said that if I did a favor for him, he'd help me find a lead to your whereabouts. He asked me to bring him Chloe Sullivan, and then I would masquerade as her when I talked to Clark. I took her last night while she was sleeping."

J'onn was surprised again by Ma'alefa'ak. "I told Lucas there was no need for him to tell me a possible lead to you; he just showed it to me." he finished with a smile. J'onn was becoming angry himself.

"Where is Chloe Sullivan now?" he asked. Ma'alefa'ak chuckled. "Let's just say that where she is now, she'll be making a big difference to this back water world." he said mysteriously. J'onn wanted a straight answer, but obviously his brother wasn't going to give it.

"If you want to know the exact location, just read my mind again." he said tauntingly. J'onn read his mind once more and saw what he wanted to find. "Happy now?" Ma'alefa'ak asked.

"Just one more question…how do you and Lucas Luthor know each other?" Ma'alefa'ak laughed. "That, I'm afraid, is where I have to say "That's as far as you go, Mister!"." J'onn saw that he wasn't going to give in.

When he tried to read his mind again though, he discovered that he couldn't. "What's wrong? Can't read my mind anymore?" He then pointed to the back of his neck. "I have another chip on me; it activated a few seconds after you have read my mind while the first chip was gone." he said, smiling deviously.

As J'onn scowled, Ma'alefa'ak removed his chains and his upper blue garbs as he made a fighting stance. "Now we can't read each other's minds…should make the battle field more even. Ready to fight to the death?" he asked.

J'onn, after dropping his gun, then changed from his human appearance to his natural Martian form, which wore a cobalt colored uniform with a blue cape and a big red "X" on the chest. He also stood ready to fight. "I'm ready to end this once and for all, Ma'alefa'ak."

At superhuman speed, the two Martian brothers punched each other in the face. After recovering from the blow, Ma'alefa'ak tried to punch J'onn in the gut, but his brother had made his body into steel, which caused Ma'alefa'ak to yell in pain.

J'onn took advantage of this and fired his powerful Martian vision, which appeared to be a white energy blast, from his eyes. The attack sent Ma'alefa'ak straight into a bunch of crates.

The detective waited; he knew it would take a lot more than that to stop his twisted brother. He didn't have to wait long; Ma'alefa'ak phased from the floor below and delivered a strong uppercut. J'onn was knocked onto the ground.

Ma'alefa'ak chuckled. "C'mon J'onn, is that all you got?" J'onn then vanished into thin air. Ma'alefa'ak knew that his brother had turned invisible. "This is child's play!" he said as he turned and fired his Martian vision, thinking that J'onn would be right behind him. But he wasn't

"You missed." J'onn, who reappeared at his brother's left side, said as he punched Ma'alefa'ak in jaw. He followed with several more punches in the face and a powerful kick to the chest. Ma'alefa'ak crashed into another crate.

He appeared to be winded by the surprise assault. Ma'alefa'ak snarled. "I'm not finished…not by a long shot!" he yelled as he flew right at J'onn. They grappled throughout the warehouse.

They traded blows and threw each other into crates. It wasn't long before the whole place was a mess. After he punched J'onn again, Ma'alefa'ak thought it was time to stack the odds to his favor. "Time to turn up the heat!" he said as he fired his Martian vision again, but not at his brother…at the numerous wooden crates, whole and broken.

In a matter of seconds, the entire warehouse was on fire. J'onn instantly collapsed in pain from the overwhelming flames. But strangely, Ma'alefa'ak didn't seem affected at all.

A shocked J'onn couldn't understand why his brother wasn't weakened like him. Ma'alefa'ak laughed at J'onn's predicament. "Surprised? Well, I'm not." he said as walked over and grabbed J'onn by the throat.

"I have at least one benefit from being a "mutant": Complete immunity to fire!" he said as he choked J'onn. J'onn tried, but in his weakened state he found it almost impossible to get free.

"With your Kryptonian buddies light years away, there's no one to help you! It's the end for you J'onn!" Ma'alefa'ak said maliciously. J'onn looked over and saw the gun he dropped earlier. He grabbed it and pointed it above Ma'alefa'ak.

"Not…yet!" he said as he fired the weapon at the chained light on the ceiling, which caused the light to fall on top of Ma'alefa'ak. The surprise attack forced the evil Martian to release J'onn.

J'onn used this time to get up and hobbled out of the burning warehouse. Back inside, Ma'alefa'ak had just threw the heavy light off of him. He was pissed off; he couldn't believe that J'onn caught him off guard like that.

"You can't get away from me, brother!" He yelled as he flew out of the warehouse, which was barely holding itself together from the intense fire. Ma'alefa'ak looked around the pier for J'onn, but he couldn't see him anywhere.

"Where are you, J'onn? Come out, come out wherever you are!" he yelled. His brother still had not reemerged. He then walked over to the edge of the pier and looked down into the water.

A moment later, J'onn launched out of the water and phased his hand into Ma'alefa'ak's head. The maniacal Martian screamed in pain as J'onn attached him both physically and mentally.

J'onn saw that he was able to read his brother's mind again; he guessed that the second chip on his neck was destroyed when the light fell on him. He then saw a memory in Ma'alefa'ak's mind…one that made him shudder with fear.

After a long moment of screaming, Ma'alefa'ak collapsed, finally defeated by the damage J'onn inflicted. J'onn didn't stop for a breather; he quickly picked up his deranged brother, flew up in the air and threw him as hard as he could towards the direction of the sun.

From afar, J'onn saw his former brother being consumed by the giant star that Earth orbits around. He then flew back down to the pier and rested. At last; he avenged his family and people…they could all rest in peace.

J'onn felt regret in killing his own brother, but he also knew that Ma'alefa'ak was too dangerous to remain alive. Not only that, but he also would've continued to go after J'onn and use anyone to get to him…just like Chloe and Lois.

Once he has fully recovered, he will check on Lois and go find Chloe. After that, he would warn Clark and Kara about the last image he saw in Ma'alefa'ak's mind. _'If Ma'alefa'ak did what I saw in his mind, Earth is in more danger than I had imagined.'_

However, before J'onn could fly back to the Talon, he felt a powerful shock coursing through his body and screamed as he fell down. He couldn't move an inch; his whole body didn't seem to be functioning. He was on the verge of slipping into unconsciousness.

He then heard a sinister laugh close by. Someone walked out of the shadows carrying a blaster that was, if his didn't deceive him, shaped like a key. The man who fired it had grey skin and sickly red eyes with long hair. He almost looked like a demon.

"I was right to set my blaster at high; otherwise, it would have no affect on you. You Martians are a tough breed, judging from the brawl I just witnessed." J'onn couldn't do anything to get away; the scary looking man knelt down and grabbed J'onn's collar.

"I've been waiting out here for your family squabble to end, you see. I have been ordered to, in the event that you had won and killed Ma'alefa'ak, I would have to step in and bring you down. Why? You'll see…" he then laughed again.

J'onn saw him take something small out of his pants pocket. He knew that he had no chance of escape from whoever this madman is. With all his might, he looked towards the city and concentrated hard on transferring a thought to someone that could tell it to Clark and Kara when they returned…

J'onn then fainted as both he and the mystery man vanished in a flash of light.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

Lois woke up with a start the next morning as she yelled. She found herself back in her bedroom at the Talon. She then tried to remember how she got there, only to find out she didn't have any memory at all of how she got back.

In fact, the last thing she remembered was being in a warehouse with a detective discussing… Lois then remembered why she screamed when she woke up; she had a nightmare about the person that was still missing. Someone she needed to find at once:

"Chloe…"

To be continued.


	31. Chapter 30 Captured

Happy New Year! I'm finally back with my next chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 30: Captured

Oliver's Apartment:

Oliver couldn't believe it when he read the Daily Planet this morning. His eyes widened greatly from the headlines: _Isis Foundation Exploded! Detective Saves All!_ He was out of town when it happened; he barely just got back in a few hours ago. As he read the story, Oliver thought how Chloe would react to it.

Then again, he hadn't heard from Chloe all day yesterday, nor all night. In fact, Chloe had not been in or around Isis at the time of the explosion. Oliver began to think if something had happened to her after he saw her at Clark's house.

Before he could ponder further, he heard someone come out of his private elevator. Oliver turned to see it was Lois, who looked unbelievably worried. "Morning, Lois. You alright?" he asked. Lois spoke with urgency.

"Ollie, Chloe has been kidnapped!" Oliver was more shocked than he was earlier. He tried to remain calm. "Whoa, slow down! What do mean Chloe's been kidnapped?" Lois sighed.

"It's _exactly_ as it sounds! She's been gone since the night before Isis went kaboom!" Oliver tried to calm his ex-girlfriend. "Lois, what makes you think she's been kidnapped?" he asked steadily.

Lois took a deep breath and explained. She told him about how it started with Jimmy asking her to talk to Chloe, who had been avoiding him. Then she said that she got kidnapped herself while visiting Isis and found herself in a dark warehouse at the peer last night.

Lois then told him how Detective John Jones found her and then encountered Chloe, and Lois paused. She didn't know if Ollie will believe what she will say next. Oliver waited for her to continue.

With another deep breath, she told him that it wasn't Chloe who they talked to at all. "It was some kind of…green man with red eyes! Whatever he was, he wasn't human! And then…he said that he and the detective were brothers! Isn't that just absurd?!" she asked hysterically.

Oliver was thrown for a loop. He already knew that the detective was a Martian, courtesy of Clark. But from what Lois just said, J'onn didn't seem like the only "Green Man from Mars" walking around here. "Are you saying that those two, both the "green man" and the detective were…_aliens_?"

Lois shrugged. "I have no idea what the deal was, but that thing did admit in kidnapping Chloe; he said himself that she was alive somewhere." Oliver narrowed his eyes. "Did he say where exactly?" Lois shook her head.

"No. I wanted to strangle him, but the detective somehow knocked me out. Next thing I knew, I woke up this morning in my apartment. But not before I had a strange nightmare about Chloe." she added.

"What kind of nightmare?" Oliver asked. Lois held her head, trying to remember the details of her dream. "I saw Chloe…locked in some kind of cell. There were men in dark uniforms patrolling around her, packing serious heat." Lois stopped.

"What happened next?" Oliver asked after a moment. Lois shook her head. "That was all I saw before I woke up." The emerald archer was seriously starting to worry about all of this. He tried to make sure she was not losing her mind.

"Did you think that you just imagined everything in that warehouse? That whoever knocked you out just…I don't know, took you back home and you'd been asleep the whole time?" Lois looked at him liked he just sprouted an extra head.

"Excuse me?! You think I'm making all this up, Ollie?! Honestly, you're starting to sound just like Clark!" she said, fumed. Before Oliver gave her an answer, Lois went on.

"Well I'm not! When I woke up, I called the Metropolis Police Department and demanded to speak to Detective John Jones. Get this, they told me that Detective Jones has not returned to work since yesterday, when all hell broke loose!"

Oliver listened intently as Lois continued. "Knowing that something was up, I drove back to the peer to check out the warehouse I found myself in. I knew which one it was because I saw the warehouse number inside the place. And guess what? When I found it, it was completely burned to the ground!"

The billionaire was definitely thinking, and fearing, that Lois may be right. Lois paused to catch her breath before finishing up. "There was no one there, but I checked it out anyway for any clues. All I found was a handgun; the same one Detective Jones had. I think whoever, or whatever the freak was took the detective, just like Chloe!"

Now Oliver was worried. _'If all that is true, we definitely have a problem. Clark said that J'onn would fill in while he and Kara are relaxing on another planet, but if his Martian buddy has been captured while trying to find Chloe, then it looks like it's up to me.'_

Oliver didn't speak for a moment, trying to digest everything that Lois just revealed. "Did you try to call anyone else about this?" he asked. Lois laughed humorlessly.

"And who would believe me? I suppose I could call Clark, Kara or Brian about what happened to Chloe. Oh wait, I couldn't get in touch with ANY of them! I knew I should've asked for their numbers before they all left!" she scolded herself.

Oliver put a hand on her shoulder. "Lois, I'll help you find Chloe. That's the reason you came to see me, wasn't it?" he asked coolly. Lois turned and smiled weakly. "You could say that. And thank you." Oliver nodded.

"Anything for an old girlfriend. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll get in touch with the rest of guys and tell them of the situation." Before he took more than four steps, he turned to Lois again.

"By the way, why did you say that your nightmare about Chloe being in a cell was "strange"?" he asked. Lois shrugged. "I don't know. That dream felt like, it wasn't my own…like someone forced it into my head or something. I can't really explain it, but I just felt that that dream wasn't a "normal" one."

Oliver nodded as he walked to pick up his cell. "If you ask me, I'd say Chloe's kidnapping and your dream are connected. Whatever it means, my team and I will look into it. You try to find anything else unusual at the Daily Planet."

"Sounds like a plan." she said, feeling reassured that Chloe will be found in no time as she left. As he began calling his teammates into action, he somehow suspected that what was happening was just the beginning.

"Damn it Clark, you and your cousin picked a fine time to be out of town." he said frustratingly.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kandor:

Kara had gone out to run some errands for her mother. Allura was an expert at botany, and she took it upon herself to study the new plants and flora on Rokyn. She had asked her daughter to go and find replacements for some focusing lenses that have worn out.

Clark stayed to help out his aunt, which he didn't mind in the slightest. Studying different, exotic plants was something that could keep him busy during his stay. He was a little uneasy about Kara being on her own, what with Augo around, but he knew she could defend herself even without her powers.

Kara found some replacement lenses in a small shop in the outer limits of Kandor. Satisfied, she began to walk back when someone called out to her. "Kara, stop!" Kara didn't need to turn around to know it was Augo.

"I'm not interested to hear what you have to say, so go away." she said scornfully. Augo didn't give up. "Kara, what I can I do to earn your forgiveness?" This time, Kara did turn around and looked at her former boyfriend with hate.

"You have collaborated with my father to destroy Krypton! My life there is gone, Augo…gone! And you expect me to _forgive_ you?!" Augo lowered his head.

"I guess…I am asking too much of you." "Finally, you're admitting a mistake." Kara snapped back. Augo shook his head. "I did not do anything to destroy our home…my only assignment was to watch over and protect you."

Kara snorted. "That does not change the fact that you worked for the man that killed most of our people! I don't know who was worse: General Zod or my own father!" Her old boyfriend looked hard into Kara's eyes.

"General Zod was a monster, we both know that! Your father merely fulfilled his destiny for what was meant to be…" Kara had cut him off. "Enough! I have to get back home. And if I catch you following me home, I'll make you regret it!" she warned as she started walking again.

But Kara suddenly dropped the lenses and fell to the ground, out cold. Above her, Augo held a stunning weapon. He looked like he regretted his most recent action. "I'm sorry Kara." He then picked her up and walked out of sight.

Back at Allura's house, Allura was examining a blue plant with great fascination. Clark walked in, covered in dirt. "I've just finished spreading that new fertilizer you've worked on." he said with a smile.

Allura smiled back. "Thank you, Kal-El. Hopefully, it will provide efficient nutrition for all those plants I've found here on Rokyn." Clark nodded. He then saw the look of worry on his aunt's face.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Allura turned to her nephew. "I'm worried about Kara." Clark laughed inwardly; he worried about her everyday since he met her. "She's been gone for over an hour. She should've been back by now."

Clark knew she was right; Kara was out for far too long for a few lenses. "I'll go look for her." Allura thanked him as he walked out.

It didn't Clark long to reach the area where Kara had gone to get the lenses. When he turned a corner, he heard a crack and looked down. He kneeled down and picked up some pieces of a broken lens.

Clark thought that this must've been the lens that Kara was supposed to bring back. He then thought that maybe someone ambushed Kara and took her. He could think of only one person in Kandor who would be interested in her.

"Augo." Clark whispered angrily.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location in Kandor:

Kara dizzily woke up and found herself in a room with a single lighting crystal. She sat up with a start, shocked that she had been kidnapped. And she knew who did it. "That bastard!" she said softly as she approached the door, only to find it locked.

"Let me out! Open this door, Augo! I know you can hear me! OPEN THE DOOR!!" She then heard the door being unlocked from the other side and backed away. The door opened to reveal a blue clad guard with Augo right beside him.

"Are you alright, Kara?" Augo asked sincerely. Kara then walked up and punched him hard in the face. The guard instantly held her to the wall. She couldn't break free from his grip. Augo moaned as he recovered from the blow.

"You shouldn't have done that." he said softly. Kara looked back with the utmost hate. "You've shouldn't have kidnapped me!" she retorted savagely. The guard continued to hold her as Augo walked up to her.

"How did you get a Sapphire Guard to work for you? They're Kandor's security forces." Kara asked. Augo studied his old girlfriend's face. "It's not just this guy; I have a whole legion of them working for me, right under the Council's noses."

Kara's jaw dropped. "What?! What is going on Augo?! What are you planning?!" Augo smiled as he placed a hand on Kara's face. Kara tried to slap him but the guard held her still tightly.

"Everything will be revealed soon, my love. But first, I need to convince you we are meant to be." he said as he removed his hand and touched the symbol on his chest. Instantly, Kara's eyes and face became blank.

A small crystal chip was revealed on her left cheek, where Augo touched her. "Kara, who do you love?" Kara then looked directly at Augo and smiled.

"You."

To be continued.


	32. Chapter 31 Conspiracy

Here is Chapter 31! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 31: Conspiracy

Kandor:

Clark was angry at himself as he searched for his missing cousin. He knew that he should of watched her incase Augo appeared again, but he chose not too. He thought Kara could handle herself. If she had indeed been kidnapped, and if Augo was responsible, Clark will make him sorry.

He first went to the shop that Kara got those lenses and asked the manager if he had seen her with a young man around her age. Unfortunately, he said no. Clark continued to ask anyone in the area if they had seen Kara or anyone suspicious.

So far, he had found nothing._ 'Augo must've taken Kara in a place where no one could see.'_ he thought. After a half hour search, Clark rested on a crystal bench outside a café. There, he saw two Sapphire Guards who are probably on lunch break.

Kara and Tyr-Us had told him about them during his tour, that they were Kandor's law enforcers. Tyr-Us also told Clark about a week before he and Kara arrived, Sapphire Guards had been disappearing, one by one, without a trace.

This made Clark suspicious. Tyr-Us then told him that he and the rest of the Council heard rumors of a growing rebellion in Kandor, but no evidence had suggested that.

Clark decided to move a little closer so that he could hear the guards as they talked, since he could no longer hear from a long distance. So far all they talked about how boring their job was and that the food seemed a little stale today.

But then they began to talk about the mysterious disappearances of their fellow guards, and Clark listened hard to get every word. "I'm telling you, every day another one of us goes off the grid and doesn't turn up again. We could be next!" said the younger of the two.

The older one, by a good 5 years, was more calm. "Relax, we're two of the toughest Sapphire Guards in Kandor. No one can possibly abduct us while we're on duty!" he responded proudly.

His younger companion wasn't so sure. "Yes, but what about when we're _not_ on duty? All the other guys could've been taken while they had been in their beds!" The older guard shook his head.

"Get a hold of yourself. No one is going to take us, asleep or not!" Clark felt that the older guard was being a little too cocky. Just when Clark was about to go ask them about the missing guards, another one turned up.

"I've been looking for you two everywhere! The Council wants to speak with us right away!" he said as he placed his hands around the backs of their necks. The other two guards spaced out for a second before responding.

"Yes, of course. We better go." the older guard said to his companion. "Yes, we must." All three then left at once. Clark saw how the first two Sapphire Guards had looked blank for a moment before leaving.

Clark became more curious, however, when he saw that the guards were not walking towards the Council temple in the middle of the city. He felt that something did not fit, and decided to follow them closely. Maybe, he can find a clue about Kara.

Several minutes later, Clark saw the guards walk inside a building far from the temple. He followed without making a sound. He found a set of stairs that went down, and saw the guard's shadows moving away. Clark moved down the stairs quietly.

Clark hoped that whatever was going on had nothing to do with Augo or Kara. As Clark turned a corner, the guards had stopped and spoke with a fourth one in a faintly lit hallway.

"Thank you for coming. He is waiting for you all. Follow me." said the fourth guard. Clark wondered who "he" is. _'It has to be whoever is behind the Sapphire Guard abductions.'_

Clark could tell that the two guardshe overheard were somehow being controlled against their own will, otherwise one of them would've mentioned that they were not heading towards the Council temple.

He continued to follow without being noticed. He looked around and behind him to make sure no one would sneak up on him. So far, he had been lucky. Clark saw a brighter light up ahead and stopped.

From about 10 feet away, he saw that a battalion of Sapphire Guards had congregated in a huge chamber with a podium on the other side. Clark felt that he would be spotted instantly if he walked in, so he walked up a staircase on his left.

Luckily, he could see what was happening from up there and, if he was quiet enough, he wouldn't be spotted. Clark felt for sure that all those Sapphire Guards were the ones that had gone missing. But what were they all doing here?

Clark thought this when he saw another person, who wasn't a Sapphire Guard, walked towards the podium. He was shocked to see that it was Augo. Augo wore a grin on his face as he looked at all the Sapphire Guards that stood before him.

"Welcome, my soldiers!" The guards became quiet from Augo's words. Clark listened with growing concern as Augo resumed speaking.

"It has taken a while, but now I believe we have the man power that is required to accomplish our goals. In exactly 2 hours, we will attack the Council temple and take them all hostage." Clark narrowed his eyes as he continued to listen.

"Kandor will soon fall under my control. Or should I say, under _our_ control?" The Sapphire Guards stared at him in confusion. Augo smiled. "What I mean is, I now have a partner for plan. Isn't that right, my love?" he asked to his right.

Clark's face was filled with shock as he saw Kara walk up to Augo and kissed him. She seemed to be smiling too. "Yes, Augo. Kandor will soon be ours. I know you have been planning it for a long time." "I sure have, Kara." he said softly.

Clark was furious. He knew that Kara would never stab him in the back like that. _'Augo has to be controlling her too, just like the Sapphire Guards.'_ he thought. As angry as he was, he remained hidden and silent as Augo continued.

"Kara and I will take over Kandor and begin…" but he was interrupted by one of the Sapphire Guards that had just spoken. "My apologies, sir, but one of our security crystals has just detected an intruder. He is watching from the left upstairs corridor!" he said as he pointed in Clark's direction.

Clark turned with alarm as he saw a bright red crystal flashing above him, like an alarm. He cursed himself for getting himself exposed. From the gathering chamber, Augo looked angered. "Go and bring the intruder to me! He must not escape!"

All the Sapphire Guards ran out immediately to capture Clark. Clark began to run further down the corridor. He had to escape the building and warn the Council of Augo's plans, but not before he rescued Kara.

Clark wished he could run as he usually did on Earth, but due to the Rokyn's red sun, he was as slow as any human. He heard the Sapphire Guards getting closer every second.

As fast as he could, Clark ran towards another door up ahead, hoping it would be a good place to hide. Unfortunately, a Sapphire Guard came out of nowhere and knocked Clark against the wall.

Clark struggled as the guard tried to aim his stunning weapon on him. However, Clark gave him a good head butt and shook himself free. While the guard was still dazed, Clark threw a right hook, which caused him to bash his head on the wall.

As he could get back up, Clark picked up the stun weapon the guard dropped and pointed it at him. The guard froze instantly. "You will not stop him! He will succeed!" Clark stepped closer and gave him another punch in the face. The blow knocked him out cold.

Clark heard more Sapphire Guards coming. He then opened the door to see that it was a closet of some kind. Suddenly, Clark got an idea.

Minutes later, more Sapphire Guards showed up where Clark and the other guard were fighting. They found another guard massaging his head. His faceplate was up, so his face couldn't be seen.

"What happened? Where's the intruder?" one of the guards asked. The answering guard pointed behind him. "I tried to capture him, but he got the best of me! He went down that way!" The other guards nodded. "Let's move!"

The guards then ran in the direction that the responding guard pointed. All alone, Clark removed the faceplate and breathed out in relief. He was very lucky that that bluff had worked.

Hopefully, he can pose as a Sapphire Guard long enough to find Kara and free her. He put his faceplate back on and ran back towards the chamber where he saw Kara and Augo.

A few minutes later, he found them right where he left them. "I hope whoever that intruder was will be caught soon." Kara said. "I'm sure he will be. No one outside our group can know our plan."

Kara then moved her hands over Augo's face. "I still can't believe how young you are. How come you didn't age this whole time?" she asked curiously. Augo chuckled.

"After I escaped from that elevator you "forcibly" pushed me in, I found a stasis crystal that was still operational. I climbed in and activated it shortly before Krypton was destroyed. It kept me from aging until I woke up a while after Kandor landed here."

Kara smiled. "I was kind of in the same situation when I was on Earth." she responded as she leaned in for a kiss. Clark decided to step in now.

"Sir, I hate to interrupt, but…" Augo sighed. "Where are the rest of the guards? And the intruder?" Clark shrugged. "Everyone else is still searching for him." "Then why aren't you searching with your fellow soldiers?" Augo asked.

Clark stepped closer. "Sir, I just fought this guy, and he seems…rather dangerous. I believe I should escort Kara to a safe place until the intruder is caught. He might go after her" Augo stiffened.

"Kara is safe with me. Wherever she goes, I go as well." Clark sighed; separating Kara from Augo was not going to be so easy. "Sir, I assure you that I can provide her the _proper_ protection." "I just told you, Kara stays with me!" Kara then patted his shoulder.

"Augo, if this guard says that the intruder is coming for me, then I believe him. I believe he can protect me until this fiasco is over. You trust your men, don't you?" Kara asked kindly. Augo sighed as he looked at his treasure. He then turned back at Clark.

"Fine; take her back to her quarters and don't leave from there until I hear the intruder has been caught." he ordered. Clark nodded gratefully. Behind his faceplate, Clark smiled; Kara was making this easier for him.

"Don't worry sir, your lady will be safe with me around." Clark said as he escorted Kara out of the chamber and into the main hallway. Augo sighed again as he moved to his private quarters too.

Clark followed Kara through the hallway. He had no idea where Augo had Kara stay, but at least he got his cousin away from Augo. About a minute later, Kara stopped at a door and opened it.

"Stay out here and keep an eye out. Let me know if anything is wrong." As she walked in, Clark walked in with her. "Kara, there already is something wrong." he said as he closed the door behind him. Kara stared at him, confused.

"What is it? I just told you to wait outside." she said. Clark then took off his helmet. Kara gasped. "Kara, it's me. I'm getting you out of here." Kara looked horrified.

"Kal-El! _You're_ the intruder?!" she said breathlessly. Her cousin nodded. "It's alright, I'm taking you home…" Kara then looked angry as she tried to punch him, but Clark caught both her wrists.

"I AM home! Let me go!" she yelled. Clark kept a tight grip and tried to shush her. "Kara, listen to me! Augo is controlling you somehow! You have to fight it!" he whispered.

"The only thing I'm fighting is YOU! Help! He's in here!" Kara yelled. As Clark struggled to keep Kara quiet, he noticed a blinking light on Kara's left cheek; a small flat crystal. He instantly knew how she was being controlled.

Clark then released Kara's right wrist and quickly removed the crystal off her cheek, then crushed it with his boot. Kara had stopped struggling and held her forehead, apparently a little dizzy.

She looked back to see Clark, who looked relieved. "Clark!" Kara said as she hugged him. Clark gratefully hugged her back. "Feeling like your old self again, Kara?" he asked with a smile. Kara nodded.

"Yeah, thanks a lot." Just then they heard footsteps outside. "Hey, what's going on in there?" Thinking quickly, Clark had put his helmet back on and, nodding to Kara, opened the door. Five Sapphire Guards looked alarmed.

"We heard you shouting, Lady Kara. What is the situation?" one of them asked. Kara pretended to be distressed. "Oh, it was awful! The intruder tried to break into my room, but thanks to this brave soldier I'm alright. I was just congratulating him." she with a smile.

"The intruder got away again then?" another guard asked. Kara nodded as Clark came forward. "I'm sorry, but he did. The important thing is that Lady Kara is safe and sound." The other guards agreed.

"Good work, this guy must be determined to get to Lady Kara. If he comes by here again, let us know." The other guards then moved to continue their search. When they were out of sight, Clark closed the door and took of his helmet again.

"That was close." Kara said. "No kidding." Clark replied. Kara then looked angry. "I can't believe what Augo did to me! I can't believe what he is going to do!" she fumed. Clark widened his eyes. "You remember everything?" he asked. Kara nodded.

"Yes; just because I was being controlled, doesn't mean I wasn't aware of what was going on around me." Kara then looked more urgent. "Clark, Augo has taken control of nearly every Sapphire Guard in Kandor and is…"

"He's planning to unleash them into the temple and take the whole Council hostage, I know. I overheard him earlier right before I was detected." Clark interrupted. Kara grabbed his shoulders. "That's not all." she said.

Clark raised his eyebrows. "What else is Augo up to?" he asked. Kara gulped. "He told me earlier that after he takes control of Kandor, he plans to open the portal that leads into the fortress. Clark…Augo's planning to invade Earth with his troops!!"

If her cousin wasn't shocked before, he was now. _'A Kryptonian invasion?! Earth won't stand a chance!'_ Clark knew that with the yellow sun, Augo's army would be unstoppable. "Why would he invade Earth?" Clark asked in alarm.

Kara looked disgusted. "He said that he wanted to finish what my father had started on Krypton. He told me that Zor-El spared Kandor so that it's people could inhabit Earth…after his replicant had killed all the humans."

"I take it no one else knows about it?" Clark asked, fear and anger rising within him. Kara shook her head. "No. After Augo had reawakened from his stasis crystal, he found a message crystal in Zor-El's quarters. It told him to carry on with his ultimate plan, and he left him some tools to do it: Mind control crystals." Kara said.

"Like the one Augo used on you?" Clark asked. Kara nodded. "He's using them on all of the Sapphire Guards to make them do his bidding. These crystals were made by Zod to use on prisoners to do his work. When he was captured, all of the crystals were confiscated."

"Augo found them and began using them to carry out Zor-El's plan to invade Earth with an army of super powered Kryptonians." Clark said, putting it all together. "He is now ready to make his move. We have got to stop him!" Kara said in determination.

Clark nodded. "Are there any communication crystals here?" Kara shook her head. "I'm afraid not; Augo chose this place because there are no communication crystals placed here. He doesn't want to risk being overheard from the outside." Clark understood.

"Then I'll lead you out of here so that you can warn the Council of Augo's plans. I'll try to stop him." Kara disagreed at once. "I'm not leaving you here alone, Clark! You will be outnumbered, and without your powers you won't stand a chance!"

Her cousin looked resolute. "Where is the power source for the mind control crystals?" Kara looked taken aback, but she answered anyway. "The bronze symbol on his shirt. He taps it to send a signal to the crystals." Clark nodded again.

"If I can get close enough to Augo while in disguise, I can destroy it. That would free all of the Sapphire Guards from his control." Kara understood, but she still feared for him. "Its still too risky." she said.

"I've lasted this long wearing this armor, haven't I?" he asked with a smirk. Kara couldn't help but smile a bit. "C'mon, let's get moving." Clark said as he once more put his helmet on and lead Kara out of her room.

It didn't take long for them to get back at the entrance. Without being spotted by the other Sapphire Guards, which they were shockingly lucky, Clark left Kara outside. "Head straight for the Council Temple. Don't stop moving until you get there." Clark instructed. Kara understood.

"Be careful." she advised. "You too. Now hurry." Clark said as Kara began sprinting for the temple. Glad that his cousin was safe, Clark headed back inside to look for Augo and end this.

In his quarters, Augo sat impatiently. He hoped that whoever snuck their way into his secret place would be caught soon. More importantly, he hoped that he would be found before he found Kara.

He heard a knock on the door. Augo snapped out of his thoughts. "Yes?" he called out. "Good news sir; the intruder has been caught!" Augo then opened the door without hesitation. Augo smiled.

"Great; I knew it wouldn't take long." He looked around the Sapphire Guard but saw only him. "Well, where is he? I ordered everyone to bring the intruder to me." The guard then punched Augo, hard.

Augo fell to the floor from the unexpected blow, and he found he was bleeding from his lower lip. "How dare you! Why did you strike me?!" The guard then removed his helmet, and Augo gasped in shock that it was Clark.

"Kal-El?!" he asked. Clark looked angry enough to kill. "It's over Augo. Kara is on her way to warn the Council of your plans to take over Kandor and invade Earth! You can't get away!"

Augo looked even more shocked. "You took Kara away from me?! I told you that she and I are meant to be! You had no right to…!" Clark then dragged him up by the collar. He looked really pissed.

"_I_ had no right? You were the one who slapped a mind control crystal on my cousin! You claim to love Kara, but you treat her like she's your property! That's not the definition of love, Augo!" He then ripped the bronze symbol off Augo's shirt.

"And now you will lose control of everything." Clark said quietly as he crushed the symbol beneath his boot. "NO!!" Augo, completely angered now, punched Clark in the face. The blow forced Clark to release him.

"You've gone too far now, Kal-El! I will kill you with my bare hands!" He then tried to strangle Clark in a fit of unexpected rage. Clark fought back as Augo forced him on the wall.

Augo went for another punch, but Clark moved his head out of the way in time. Augo yelled in pain as his fist hit the wall where Clark's head was. Clark then rammed Augo into the opposite wall, which knocked the breath out of Augo.

Clark then landed another blow in the face and threw him into his mirror, which shattered into pieces. Augo was a bloody mess. In desperation, Augo grabbed a big shard of glass and lunged it at Clark.

Augo knocked Clark to the floor and tried to push the shard into his neck, but Clark held him at bay. He struggled to keep the shard away as it came slowly closer. Augo sneered as he kept pushing it towards his opponent.

"Kara WILL be mine! I WILL fulfill my destiny!!" Augo said as the shard was less than an inch from Clark's flesh. Clark looked back at Augo with strong determination.

"Not if I had…anything to say about it!" Clark then moved his legs up and kicked Augo off of him at the last second. Augo was knocked into the wall again and hit the back of his head. He slid down, finally out cold.

Clark got back up, wiping the blood from his mouth and breathed heavily. It was finally over. Just then, a few Sapphire Guards ran in. "Hey, what in Rao's name is going on?!" one of them asked.

Clark pointed at Augo. "That man was controlling you, and all the other Sapphire Guards that are down here. He planned to take the Council prisoner and lead an army to invade Earth. If I were you, I'd arrest him."

The Sapphire Guards said no more as they picked up Augo. "Thank you; we owe you a debt of gratitude." an older guard said as he and his comrades dragged Augo out of the room.

Clark breathed easier now that all the chaos was over. Maybe now he and Kara can enjoy the rest of their vacation in Kandor. _'I just hope that everything is alright back at home too.'_ he thought as he followed the Sapphire Guards out.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Detroit, Michigan:

A red blur raced out of an alley in downtown Detroit. It was young Bart Allen, aka Impulse. Looking bummed, he tapped onto his radio transmitter on his right ear. "Impulse to Green Arrow: Bad news amigo, I ran all over downtown and still no sign of our favorite hot blonde senorita."

On the other side of the line, Oliver sighed. _"Copy that, Impulse. Black Canary and I are not having much luck either here in Illinois. Cyborg is still checking the outskirts of Montana. Meet up with Aquaman to see if he had found anything."_

Impulse nodded. "I'm already there." he said as he zoomed faster than a blink of an eye. He ran all the way towards the peer at Atlantic City, New Jersey. He looked all over the area. "Hey, fish boy! You flopping on the shore yet!" he quipped.

He then heard a loud splash from his left and saw a young man in orange and green. Aquaman walked up to Impulse with scowl. "Take it easy on the fish cracks, will you speedy?" he asked. Impulse smirked.

"Found anything about Chloe?" he asked seriously. To his great disappointment, Aquaman shook his head. "Afraid not. I got nothing." Impulse lowered his head. "Yeah well, the others haven't found her either." he said as he sat on a nearby crate.

Aquaman sat next to him. "Don't worry bro, we'll find her." Impulse didn't look so sure. "What is it, tired of all that running?" Impulse shook his head again. "I really blew it. I thought me and Chloe would hit it off, but since she and that guy Jimmy got engaged, I feel like I lost the battle of love." Aquaman chuckled.

"Hey, there are other fish in the sea! I'm sure you'll make the right catch someday!" Impulse snorted. "I just don't know if this Scarlet Speedster can find a girl who's into me in return." Aquaman patted him on the shoulder.

"You're still barely a teenager, you got a long while to bag you a hot babe." Impulse smiled back at his teammate. "Thanks for the encouragement, _bro_." Aquaman smiled back. Just then, they both received news from Green Arrow.

"_Green Arrow to Impulse and Aquaman, call in guys!"_ The two turned on their radios immediately. "We read you, boss. What's up?" Aquaman asked. _"We've just lost contact with Cyborg a minute ago. He reported that someone just attacked him and he couldn't defend himself! I think whoever kidnapped Chloe is on to us! Be careful!"_

Impulse and Aquaman stared at one another, stunned. "Do we know who took down Tin Man?" Impulse asked. _"Cyborg gave a vague description of the guy before we lost him. He said that_ _the attacker…"_ "Looked just like me!"

Impulse and Aquaman turned to see a gray skinned man with a key shaped weapon pointing at them. "Time to add two more trophies to my growing collection!" he said right before he fired an energy blast at the surprised pair.

To be continued.


	33. Chapter 32 Intruders

Hi! This story is about to get a lot more interesting! This chapter is longer than the others, so I hope that doesn't bother any of you. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 32: Intruders

Kandor:

"Augo, you stand before the Council of Kandor to answer for the crimes you have committed…and the ones that you've planned to commit." Tyr-Us said angrily. Augo did not respond except with a defiant stare.

When Clark and the Sapphire Guards brought Augo to the temple, they found Kara speaking to the Council about Augo's insane schemes for the city and Earth. Needless to say, they were most unhappy about it. Augo was being held by two guards.

"You have used confiscated war technology to force Kal-El's cousin and many Sapphire Guards to prepare to take control of Kandor. Further more, you planned to unleash your enslaved army on Earth and annihilate the human race. Do you have anything to say?" The Council Head asked.

Augo sneered. "I was merely following my own path; the path that Zor-El laid down before me. I won't apologize for my actions. Although", he paused as he stared at Kara.

"I did regret in forcing Kara to be with me, but I was willing to do anything to have her back. All I wanted was her love." he said, looking a little sad. Kara looked like she couldn't care less. Augo was not encouraged by her expression.

Tyr-Us and the rest of the Council seemed undeterred by Augo's words. Tyr-Us then turned to Kara. "Before his sentence is decided, do you have anything you wish to say, Kara?" he asked firmly, but kindly.

Kara nodded and walked slowly towards Augo. Clark stayed back, knowing that Augo couldn't touch his cousin again. When she stopped in front of him, she stared coldly into his face. Augo looked ashamed. "Kara, you know that we are…"

Kara then silenced him with a swift kick in the nuts. Augo moaned as he held his hurting spot and fell on his knees. Clark and the council were surprised by Kara's move.

"I have nothing more to add." she said coolly as she walked back to Clark. A moment or two after that act, the Council began considering Augo's punishment. Clark leaned in to Kara's ear.

"I can't say he didn't deserve _that_." he whispered. Kara smirked. "He had it coming." she whispered back. Augo was still on his knees in pain when the Council finished a minute later.

"It is unanimous. The Council has decided to sentence you, Augo, to permanent imprisonment…in the Phantom Zone." Tyr-Us said loudly. Augo almost went pale. "No! Not the Phantom Zone! Have mercy!" he pleaded.

"You showed no mercy in your actions. Why should we have show any to _you_?" said an elderly Council woman. At Tyr-Us' request, another Sapphire Guard brought out a small silver bracelet.

Clark instantly recognized it as the device that Zod and his disciples used to open portals to the Phantom Zone. With nods from the Council, the Sapphire Guard threw the bracelet far behind Augo and it instantly opened.

The Sapphire Guards holding Augo then threw him into the portal. "NOOO!!" Augo yelled as he was swallowed whole. The next thing they saw, Augo was trapped in a flat square with his reflection on every side of it. The square then flew off into space.

Clark and Kara were very relieved that Augo was gone, and so was the Council. When the cousins left to return to Alura's house, Clark wrapped an arm around Kara's shoulder. "Will you be alright?" he asked. Kara nodded. "Trust me, I won't miss him."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Daily Planet:

Several days had gone by and Lois still hadn't heard anything from Oliver about Chloe. Nor had she heard from any of his teammates. As frustrated as she was at the lack of updates, she tried to focus on her end of the search.

Lois found a lot of reports about Chloe Sullivan and Detective John Jones missing for days. She looked for leads every day, but she found nothing. On the sixth day since her cousin's kidnapping, as she found another dead end, Lois slammed the keyboard.

"Damn! What am I doing wrong?!" she said to herself as she let out a frustrating sigh. After a minute or two of venting, Lois faced her desktop monitor once more. No matter what, she would never give up on her cousin.

Lois had been using leads that had to do with "missing blondes" and "government conspiracies", and had not been very successful. She wished that Clark was there to lend a hand, but since she couldn't reach him she had to do it alone.

Not only did she not find anything, but there had been no recent sightings or even a ransom message of some sort. _'Whoever has Chloe, they plan to keep her locked up and tight.'_ she thought as she tried to think of who could possibly have her.

Lois then recounted the strange dream she had; her only real lead to Chloe's whereabouts. She was locked up somewhere, and it was a place she had no escape from. She thought maybe Chloe was in a secret Luthorcorp lab, like the one at Reeve's Dam.

So Lois tried a different approach. She tried to get reports about Luthorcorp's business dealings, both official and not, in the last week. She found that starting earlier in the week, a lot of supply trucks had been going in and out of Metropolis more than usual.

That was that then. She then packed her bag and headed out. As she made it for the stairs, Jimmy came and bumped into her. "Sorry, Lois. I was in a hurry to talk to Mr. White." he said apologetically. Lois shrugged it off.

"Forget about it, Jimmy." She then proceeded up the stairs. "Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?" Jimmy asked. Lois hesitated, then she turned and smiled. "Just going for a quick bite." Jimmy could tell she wasn't being honest.

"Come on, what's really going on?" he asked. Lois sighed. She didn't want Jimmy to get involved with her search for Chloe. Lois was sure her cousin would never forgive her if her fiancé got hurt or worse. Lois continued to smile.

"I'm just going to Subway for a 6ft Meatball Marinara. Don't be such a worried ward." she said as she walked out. Jimmy shook his head and scowled as he walked away.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Luthorcorp:

Talia was studying a document she received on her company laptop. What she was reading could make a big change to the whole world, one that her father would approve of. She closed the document, and the laptop, when her office door opened.

Talia smiled as she saw Lois step inside. "Hello, Miss Lane. It's nice to see you again." Talia said as she offered her hand to Lois. Lois shook it briefly before pulling it back. "Same here." she said with a hint of sarcasm. Talia seemed to have noticed but didn't comment.

"Have you come for another interview?" Talia asked as she sat back down. Lois smirked. "Maybe, but it's really just one question." Talia raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?" "What do you put on those supply trucks you've been sending all week, and where do they go?"

Talia was silent for a moment. She didn't appear to flinch from the question. "I'm afraid that is confidential." she finally answered. Lois put her hands on her hips. "Come on, it's just supply trucks! They can't be carrying anything _that_ dangerous, right?"

Talia got up again. "We do not discuss company shipments with anyone who doesn't work here or who doesn't work for our receiver." she said firmly. Lois decided to drive the nail deeper.

"I see. So you feel it is okay to send possibly toxic and very dangerous material to another company that might be careless with it?" The Luthorcorp CEO walked up to Lois, looking stern.

"This discussion is over. I suggest you leave now before I call security." she advised softly. Lois, appearing to be disappointed, turned and walked out. Talia then returned to her laptop and pulled out the document entitled "Project Genesis".

Before Lois stepped into the elevator, she bumped into a surprise visitor. "Jimmy? What the hell are you doing here?" she asked as she got in. He had a hard look as he answered.

"Same as you; finding any leads on my fiancé." Lois looked sympathetic. "I followed you here, and I figured that you thought Luthorcorp had something to do with it." Lois nodded.

"I want to help you, Lois." he said firmly. Lois nodded. "I know, but what I plan to do is just chalk full of danger! I can't let you get involved." she responded. Jimmy didn't give up.

"Chloe's your cousin, but she's also the woman I'm going to marry soon. I have just as much right to find her as you do. And I figured you might be interested in these." Jimmy said as he took out a folder from his bag and gave to Lois.

"What's this?" she asked. "Photos I've been taking all week." Lois looked skeptical but opened it. She took out several large pictures of large crates being loaded into trucks with Luthorcorp branded on them.

Lois then saw a close up photo of a shipping list one of the workers was holding. It listed the items and destinations of those crates. Lois was floored. "How did you get these?" she asked in shock.

Jimmy smiled in pride. "Us photographers always have a good vantage point, and mine was out of sight." Lois felt like hugging him, but restrained herself. She had her dignity after all.

"But what made you want to take these in the first place?" Lois asked as she pushed a button that made the elevator stop for more time. Jimmy looked solemn. "You're not the only person who's had bad history with Luthorcorp."

Lois looked at him. "When you told me about Chloe being kidnapped, I did some reconnaissance of my own and thought that since Chloe is meteor infected, and if Luthorcorp knew about it, then maybe they abduct her for research."

When Lois told Jimmy about Chloe's kidnapping, she left out the details of the dream and the evil green man she encountered. She thought Jimmy would believe that Lois had lost her mind. Lois nodded to his response.

"Maybe there is a bit of a soldier in the geek after all." she replied with a smirk. Jimmy chuckled. "So, what was this plan you had in mine before you came in here?" Jimmy asked. Lois hesitated.

"Alright, but first I need to leave a message." she said after they had resumed the elevator moving and walked out.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Downtown Metropolis:

It was around ten in the evening, and another Luthorcorp supply truck was being loaded for immediate shipping. Several strong looking men were heaving large crates from a warehouse.

When they lifted up another large crate, they had a little trouble. "Man, what is in this one?" one of them said as he and his partner lifted to the truck. "Beats me. But it feels like it weighs a ton!" the other one said as they dropped the crate into the vehicle.

"There, that's the last one. Inform the boss that we're ready for shipping." the older one said as he closed the back door. Once the door was closed, and the truck began to move, the lid to the crate slowly popped open. The heads of Lois and Jimmy came out, breathing hard.

"I don't know about you, but I think that went pretty smoothly." Lois said as she crawled out. "Except from feeling like a cramped rabbit in a cage, I'm just fine." Jimmy replied as he stepped out.

Moving carefully while making any noise was difficult on a moving truck. "So, now what?" Jimmy asked. "We keep quiet until we arrive at where these crates are being taken too." "And you think we might find Chloe there?" Jimmy inquired.

"I hope so." Lois replied softly. With care, they examined one of the crates in the truck with a flashlight they packed. They saw a large label on one side that said "Top Secret. Do Not Touch.".

Lois and Jimmy turned to one another before smiling. When they tried to open it, they saw that it was nailed down tight. "Well, unless one of us has a crowbar, we won't be seeing what's in here for a while." Lois said as she sat down with Jimmy.

For what felt like hours, they sat quietly in the truck as it moved through the night. After a while, the large vehicle finally stopped. That was the duo's cue to get back in their crate.

A moment later, Lois and Jimmy saw light from the small cracks in their crate. That meant that the back door had been opened. They then heard footsteps and objects being lifted. They kept their mouths shut as they were being lifted again.

They felt being dropped roughly again and remained as silent as ever. The pair then felt a shudder underneath and heard loud engines. They both understood what that meant: They were on a cargo plane and it was about to take off.

Once the plane was in a stable flight, the duo climbed out again and looked around. There were a lot of those "Top Secret" crates in the cargo hold. "This was _way more_ than what was in that truck." Lois said as she looked.

Jimmy agreed. "Luthorcorp's been filling up this plane the whole week, one truck shipment at a time." he said. Lois nodded. "And wherever this plane lands, I'm sure we'll get to find something about Chloe."

As much as she wanted to find her cousin though, Lois had an alternative reason for going this far to investigate Luthorcorp. She was still skeptical about Talia's involvement in the company and still wondered about the Queen Industries robberies a little over a month ago.

Lois felt that she will finally have some answers…as long as she and her sidekick wouldn't get caught or get shot on sight first. For another two or three hours, they sat at their crate. With no windows, they couldn't see where they were going.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

Lois and Jimmy finally felt the plane tilting downwards. "I think we're landing." Jimmy said as he held onto another crate for support. "You think?" Lois retorted. They continued to hold on while the plane descended.

A few moments later they felt a slight bump that made them fall on the floor. When the plane came to a complete stop, Lois and Jimmy climbed back into their crate, pulling down the lid tight.

Again, they felt being lifted up and carried out. The duo wondered where they were now as the crate was placed down. Unlike their truck or plane trips, they heard other people still around. Lois and Jimmy kept absolutely silent.

"So, what do we do with all this stuff? Open them?" a rough sounded man asked. Lois and Jimmy went wide eyed and hoped beyond hope that that wasn't going to happen. Then another voice came in; a much smoother one.

"Until either Mr. Luthor or Mr. Kord gives the okay, we're told to leave these untouched." "Gotcha." the other man said. Neither of them were heard again after a while. Then Lois and Jimmy heard large metal doors closing, cutting off the little light they had.

After getting out of the crate for the last time, they examined where they were now. They were in a giant storage room filled with other large crates. The pair, thankfully alone, were intrigued about what they've heard.

"Okay, now that was interesting. They needed Lucas and someone else's permission to open these boxes." Lois said. "Meaning that Talia wasn't the only one who is in on what's going on here." Jimmy replied. Lois nodded.

"We both know that Lucas is on the run after that whole android fiasco, so how could he still be in business if he's in hiding? And who is this "Mr. Kord?" Jimmy asked in confusion.

"He must've meant Jarvis Kord, the current CEO of Kord Industries. I read about him awhile back. But the bigger questions are: Why would Jarvis work with a man whose on the run? And how is Talia involved?" Lois asked.

Jimmy shrugged. He then spotted a crate that seemed to have a lid broke loose. "Hey, there's a loose one. It must've been damaged on the way here." He and Lois took a closer look at it.

It had a big crack on one side, and when Lois fiddled with it, it seemed to it could be broken open. Quickly, they've pulled on the cracked sides until they tore apart. What they found inside surprised them.

The crate contained dozens of small jars, and each jar held something white, and ugly. Lois and Jimmy looked disgusted. "What the hell are those?" Lois whispered in shock. "No idea." Jimmy answered, freaked out.

Lois was starting to think what was happening here had nothing to do with Chloe, but she refused to be distracted now. "Come on." Lois said as she headed for a door on the other side of the big metal door. Jimmy followed.

The door they came to was locked. _'No surprise.'_ Lois thought as she got out her credit card. "Uh, you think that trick is going to work here?" Jimmy asked nervously. Seconds later, the door snapped open.

Lois smirked as she walked in, with a stunned Jimmy behind her. They found themselves in a long hallway. They moved quietly, but quickly, up the hall. Suddenly, they heard some guards coming.

The investigative duo hid behind a corner as the two guards appeared. "So I told the guy "Get a girlfriend" and he says "Look who's talking."." The two laughed. They stopped a few feet from where Lois and Jimmy were hiding.

"Sounds like he's got an attitude problem." one guard said. His partner nodded. "He just hates guard duty; nothing exciting ever happens around here. It's just "Top Secret" this and "Classified" that. He just wants a break."

Lois peaked and saw what looked like key cards hanging from the guard's necks. She figured those cards could give them access to anywhere in this building. If only she could grab them without being caught.

"I don't blame him. We never know what's going on here. Luthor and Kord don't tell us anything except protect the inventory and guard the prisoner." The word "prisoner" caught Lois and Jimmy's attention. They listened more intently.

"Like we need to guard her anyway; there's no way she'll be getting out of that contraption anytime soon." said the shorter guard. The taller and stronger looking one shook his head.

"Regardless, we still have our orders. We can either continue to take orders until New Years, or we can kiss our bonus goodbye." The other guard snorted. Lois looked around to see if there was anything she could use. She soon spotted a fire extinguisher right behind Jimmy.

Lois motioned for him to pass it to her. When she held it, she stood ready. She prayed that the guards would come their way. The guards began to move towards her and Jimmy.

"Honestly though, I wish _something _would happen here…" That was the last thing he said when he got hit with the extinguisher. "What the hell?" the taller guard turned to see who attacked his partner.

Lois slammed the red container on the other guard. Now both of them were out like lights. "Be careful what you wish for, buddy." Lois said as she took the key cards from them and passed one to Jimmy.

"Let's move." she commanded and the young photographer followed. They ran without bumping other guards as they moved into another hallway. Lois and Jimmy saw different rooms and had no idea which one to start with.

"We probably don't have long before those thugs come to." Jimmy said. "Then let's just pick a door and hope Chloe is on the other side." Lois said as they ran. As they turned another corner, they found a door that said "Restricted Area." on it.

"She might be in there." Lois said as she and Jimmy ran for the door. Lois quickly found the card slot and slid the key card in, hoping it would work. Instead of opening, Lois and Jimmy heard a computerized voice.

"Password required for access to restricted area." They then saw a panel appear beside the card slot. Lois and Jimmy had no idea what password could possibly work.

"What was the point for key cards if a password is needed for opening locked doors?!" Lois asked frustratingly. "Maybe to confirm that whoever used the card is legit?" Jimmy asked.

Lois groaned. "Got any ideas, smart guy?" she asked. Jimmy was clueless. "This kind of thing would be in Chloe's department." he said. Frustrated and impatient, Lois just typed something at random.

"Access Denied." the computer voice said in response. Lois hit the panel in anger. "Access Denied". the voice said again after it received Lois' unintentional numbers. "Oh shut up!" Lois replied angrily.

Jimmy looked around. "I still don't see anyone." Lois thought that didn't make any difference, since they couldn't get in. "Let me take a whack at it." Jimmy said. Lois stepped aside.

Jimmy somehow hoped that this code will work. After he punched in that last button, the voice spoke again. "Access Granted." The door opened for them instantly. Stunned, Lois and Jimmy ran in just as the door closed behind them a few seconds later.

"What did you punch in?" asked a stunned Lois. Jimmy smiled. "One of those guards said that they would be working here till New Years, so I thought I'd try "New Year" as the password."

This time, Lois did hug Jimmy. "You know, you really are a smart guy. Chloe is lucky to be marrying you soon." she said sincerely. "Thanks Lois." After that touching moment, Lois and Jimmy focused where they were now.

They were in a control room of some sort, and there were dark windows to the left. Lois and Jimmy looked around and saw a big metal switch on left side of the windows.

"Maybe Chloe is on the other side." Jimmy said as he and Lois approached the lever. "She has to be. This place wouldn't be "restricted" if it didn't have anything big to hide." Lois then pulled the lever down and the lights in the room beyond came on.

Lois and Jimmy were shocked beyond belief from what they saw beyond the windows. They saw a lab as large as a church, and it contained human sized tubes with the most horrible creatures they've ever seen.

"Oh my god." Lois whispered as she and Jimmy stared at the currently hibernating creatures. "They look like those things in the crates, only…bigger." Jimmy replied. Lois shook her head. "Not bigger, Jimmy…grown up."

Yes, those creatures indeed appeared completely mature compared to the ones in those boxes back in the storage area. Lois and Jimmy believed they have just stumbled into a nightmare.

"What the hell _is_ this place?" Lois asked. Jimmy walked toward a computer monitor. "If you ask me, we might've just stumbled onto Area 51." he said almost seriously as he typed away.

"What are you doing?" Lois asked as she moved towards him. "Seeing if I can dig up any info about our X Files convention." Jimmy had no trouble accessing the database and found three files that appeared to have stood out from the numerous others.

"These 3 look like the biggest deals here. We got Project Genesis, Project Apocalypse, and Project Eve." Lois saw that those files were highlighted in red while all the others look standard.

"Could Chloe be a part of one of these?" Lois asked, dreading what the names of those "projects" could mean. Jimmy looked just as afraid and didn't answer.

"Check them out." Lois said. Jimmy nodded and unlocked Project Genesis first. What they read blew them away. To them, it could change the world…and not in a good way.

"Lucas, Jarvis Kord, and Talia can't be serious about this! If they pull this off, we could all be up to our necks in hell!" Lois exclaimed. Jimmy shuddered. "No kidding. Talk about a front role seat to the apocalypse."

Jimmy was about to close that file when Lois told him to stop. "Wait! We need to alert the world of what we've found! And I've got just the thing." Lois then took out from her pocket a sleek flash drive.

"I got this from Chloe. Figured I'd use this to save some of my reports I've made for the Planet." she said when she saw Jimmy's surprise. Lois then plugged the flash drive into a USB port beneath the monitor.

"Copy that into the flash drive. And do the same to the other files after we've taken a look at them." Lois instructed. "On it!" Jimmy replied as he copied the Genesis file into the flash drive.

After that was done, they checked out Project Eve. Lois and Jimmy gasped at what they've discovered. Lois covered her mouth with her hands in shock and widened her eyes. Jimmy's eyes bulged a lot.

"Oh god…Chloe's right smack in the center of this one. If this is right, then Chloe is going to…" "I know. It's unbelievable." Jimmy finished for Lois. Project Eve could possibly change Chloe's life forever…if she survives the ordeal.

Once that file has been copied, they moved on to the last one. When they read about Project Apocalypse, they knew that it was worse than Genesis…much worse.

"Good god; that's what those things are for!" Lois said in immense shock. "And it looks like they were just part one." Jimmy replied. As they read further down, they saw how much further the project goes. "Part Two" made them actually gave them shivers down their spine.

"How could _anyone_ on Earth do something that can mean the end of all mankind as we know it?!" Lois asked, barely holding herself together. Jimmy couldn't have agreed more.

"Guess that's why this "Lord Darkseid" mentioned in the file is the one who orchestrated it; cause he's _not_ from this planet." he said ominously. Lois and Jimmy could barely breathe after reading such monstrous information.

All Lois ever wanted was to find Chloe and bring her home, and then focus on what Lucas was up to before he took a hike. Now that she had all the answers, and more, she wished she could forget it all.

As the last file was transferred to the flash drive, Lois motioned for Jimmy to close all the files. "Believe me, you don't have to tell me twice." he said as he closed them.

Lois and Jimmy needed to find Chloe and get the hell out of there. If they can make out, Lois can contact Oliver and alert his team to the hell that Lucas and his cronies were about to unleash.

"What now?" Jimmy asked. Lois took a deep breath to calm herself. "Alright. See if you can find Chloe." Jimmy tapped into the map of the building and located the room where "Project Eve" was.

"Got her. She's four floors beneath us. The door there is heavily guarded." Lois didn't need to hear more. "You hide here, and I'll get her." But before they could do anything, they heard the door open.

Lois quickly took out the flash drive and hid it in her bra. It tickled her a bit, but she knew it would be safe there. Several guards marched in with their weapons pointed at them.

"Freeze! Hands in the air, now!" screamed one of the guards. Lois and Jimmy, completely cornered, did as they were told. And then the man Lois hated came inside, smirking. "Well, well. Nice to see you again, Lois."

Lois sneered. "Forgive me if I can't say the same, Lucas." Lucas continued to smirk as he stepped towards her. "So, did you and your pal find anything interesting in the building's database?" he asked casually.

Lois snarled. "That, and from seeing what's behind those windows!" Lucas stared at the creatures with pure glee. "They're magnificent, aren't they?" he asked. Lois and Jimmy thought he was mad.

"Actually…they're kind of on the gross side." Jimmy commented. Lucas chuckled as he patted his shoulder. "Funny man you are, Olsen. Funny man." He then returned his attention to Lois.

"After the two guards you knocked out came too, they informed me of an intruder or two. I decided not to set off the alarm because I wanted to catch you with your pants down." Lois and Jimmy remained silent.

Lucas then changed his expression to anger. "I don't know how you and your little copy boy found out about this place, but I assure you…none of you will be leaving, including Chloe."

"You're going to kill her?! She's never done anything to you!" Lois yelled. "Yeah, she's more of a Lex hater than a Lucas hater, you know?" Jimmy pleaded. Lucas shook his head.

"I have no intension of killing Chloe. She is a vital part of "Project Eve" and it would be a waste if she died. You two, on the other hand." Lucas said as he pointed at them. "I can't let you leak my little secrets to the outside. So, you two are staying put."

Lois looked defiant, while Jimmy looked terrified. "But I'll tell you what, I'll keep you both alive till New Years. I want you both to see the fruits that my plans, and my master's plans, will bear. Afterwards, you will both die." He then turned to his guards.

"Take them to the holding cells." The guards then forced Lois and Jimmy out. Lucas was right behind them. Lois was glad that the flash drive with all the vital data was safe. She hoped that Oliver, and his team, would come to the rescue soon.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

El Paso, Texas:

"Jaime! We should be heading home to study for our tests tomorrow!" "Ah, leave him alone, Brenda. He can't help it if he likes to look for spare parts." Jaime, fed up, told his friends to stop. "Guys, it will only take a few minutes, so chill."

Jamie Reyes, good looking high school student with brown eyes and black hair, searched through a junk pile near his home. His father owns a garage, and so he wants to help him when he can by bringing home spare parts after school.

He and his best friends, Brenda and Paco, accompany him. Brenda was a hard worker, while Paco was the more laid back type. Jaime searched a junk yard he found on his way home for suitable parts.

While he was searching, he thought he saw a blinking blue light in a pile in front of him. He dug through the pile searching for the source of the light. After a minute of digging, he found what he was looking for, and he was astonished.

"Brenda! Paco! Over here!" His friends came running in to see what the deal was. "What did you find, Jaime?" Brenda asked. "Is it another old alternator?" Paco inquired. Jaime shook his head.

He stood up and showed his friends what he found. "No, it's…some kind of bug." In his hands laid the most unusual insect they had ever seen: A metallic looking blue beetle.

To be continued.


	34. Chapter 33 Ambitions

Hey fans! The story's excitement continues to grow in my next chapter. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 33: Ambitions

Unknown Location:

Lucas was drinking some coffee in his quarters at the lab facility. Yesterday was quite a surprise. He never expected the meddling Lois Lane and a nobody like Jimmy Olsen would stumble into this closely guarded place. He had to admit, he was as impressed as he was angry that they found it at all.

'_But now that those two snoopers are locked up, things will continue to run smoothly.'_ He then received a transmission on his personal laptop. Once he allowed it to pass through, Lucas saw the image of a gray, red eyed man. Lucas smiled.

"Ah, I've been waiting to hear from you, Key." Lucas spoke to the man. Key nodded. _"Indeed. Sorry to have kept you waiting, but I wanted to make some significant progress with my assignment before calling in."_ Lucas nodded.

"Wise move, Key. What's your update?" Key then moved aside to allow Lucas to see someone he recognized. _"Here is my latest capture: The infamous Green Arrow!"_ Key said while chuckling. Lucas smiled immensely as he saw Green Arrow strapped on a table elevated vertically, clearly unconscious.

"Well done! I had been hoping you'd take him down sooner or later." Lucas replied, impressed. Key nodded as he moved back into Lucas' vision.

"_I knew you would be pleased, sir."_ Key said. Lucas nodded. "Indeed, I am. What about his team? Did you capture all of them yet?" Key frowned a bit.

"_Not yet. I almost captured the ones codenamed "Impulse" and "Aquaman" but they were warned about me right before I appeared at their position. I fired my blaster at them, but they both dodged and escaped. There has been no radio contact between them and the Green Arrow since."_ Lucas too frowned.

"I guess we can't be lucky _all_ the time. And the others?" _"I've captured "Cyborg" and "Black Canary" not long before I found Green Arrow. Also, the Martian that killed Ma'alefa'ak is still contained." _Lucas nodded.

"Good. What about the ones named "Steel" and "Power Girl"?" he asked. Key shook his head. _"Neither of them had turned up all week. And Green Arrow and his associates never tried to contact them either."_ Lucas raised any eyebrow and rubbed his chin.

"Huh, that's odd. Are you sure no one has seen them the whole time?" he asked. Key nodded. _"I've monitored their communications very carefully, and no attempt was made to get in touch with them."_ Lucas narrowed his eyes.

'_Clark and his blonde cousin are absent? Where the hell could they be? Ma'alefa'ak didn't say anything about them when he talked to Clark about J'onn's whereabouts.'_ Lucas thought before the Key spoke again. _"Should I continue to keep an eye out for them?"_ he asked. Lucas nodded once more.

"Do that. If those two, plus Impulse and Aquaman, are still out there then we still have a problem. You hear anything at all about them, move in." he instructed. Key nodded. _"Understood."_ Key then terminated his transmission.

Lucas had considered telling Steel and Power Girl's real names to Key so that he could easily find them, but that secret was for him and Darkseid alone. No one else associated with them knew.

Speaking of associates, he received three more transmissions on his laptop. When they appeared on Lucas' laptop, their faces were not shown but Lucas knew who they were, based on their codenames.

Lucas answered the one on the right first and put the other two on hold. "Did you succeed?" he asked. _"The mission was a complete success, thanks to the syringe you gave me. I now have everything that should be rightfully mine!"_

"That's nice. And the item I asked you to procure?" _"Ready to be sent to you."_ Lucas nodded. "Send it now." A moment later, a small box materialized on his desk next to the laptop. Lucas opened it and was pleased.

"Good work. Hope you enjoy your new life." _"I most certainly will."_ said the man before his transmission was terminated. Lucas then contacted the left messenger next. "Well?" he asked. The other man grunted as he talked.

"_It's done, Luthor. I have the damn thing and it's ready for delivery."_ "Good, send it at once." Another small box appeared and with one look inside, Lucas nodded. "This is exactly what we need. Your fee will be transferred to your account at once."

"_The sooner I get that money, the sooner I can get started on my own agenda."_ the other man said before he cut himself off. Lucas then put through the last person on hold.

"Sorry I took so long, darling, but I wanted to save the best for last." Lucas said with a smile. _"It was worth the wait."_ the mysterious woman said with slight purr in her voice. Lucas smiled back.

"How did your mission go?" _"Couldn't have gone any better. I'm ready to send my prize to you."_ Lucas nodded. "Excellent. But would you mind if you brought it to me in person? I'd like us to have some "quality" time together." He heard the woman giggle. _"I won't mind at all."_ Her transmission then cut off, leaving Lucas smiling.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kandor:

Clark just dressed back into his Earth clothes and left his room. He went into the kitchen to see Alura cleaning up. "Can I help?" he asked his aunt politely. Alura smiled. "I'm almost done. Thank you, Kal-El."

Her nephew smiled back. "Did you enjoy your visit here?" Alura asked. Clark nodded. "Aside the part where Kara and I had to stop an impending invasion by her ex-boyfriend, the vacation was very relaxing." They both laughed.

Alura then walked over and hugged him. "I will miss you, Kal-El. I have enjoyed your company this past week. It felt wonderful to have a family again." Clark still smiled. "Same here, Aunt Alura. I'll pay you another visit soon." he said kindly.

Alura nodded. "I look forward to it." Clark then looked around. "Where's Kara?" "She is still in her room." "Thanks." Clark said as he walked away. Alura still smiled warmly as she returned to her cleaning.

When Clark found Kara's room, the door was closed. He knocked softly. "Kara, it's me. May I come in?" There was a pause before his cousin opened her bedroom door. "Sure."

After he walked in, Clark saw that Kara was still in her Kryptonian clothes, which puzzled him. "Kara, we're heading back to Earth in a bit. I thought you had changed into your other clothes by now." Kara then looked at Clark with sorrow.

"I'm not coming back to Earth with you, Clark. At least…not yet." Clark was surprised. "Why not?" Kara sat on her bed. "I'm not ready to return. I'm still not over Brian, and I have too many memories of him on Earth." Clark listened as he sat next to her.

"And, I want to spend more time with my mother. I have not seen her since I was a little girl and she is still adjusting to me being a teenager. One week isn't exactly enough time to catch up for both of us." Clark nodded.

"I understand. But then, how can I explain your extended absence from your job at the Talon? They had to think you had gotten over your "illness" by now." Kara smiled apologetically. "I lied to you about that." Clark looked confused.

"I didn't take a sick leave…I quit." Clark was even more surprised. "What? I thought you liked working there?" Kara laughed a bit. "I used too. But sometimes, when I was there, I got tired off all the guys staring at me like I'm some chick you can pick up in a heartbeat." They chuckled a bit.

"The real reason, though, was because I outgrew it. Since working with you and Oliver's team, I've found something that actually does make a difference…even if the rest of the world is unaware of what we do."

Clark nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" Kara sighed. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it." Her big cousin seemed to have understood. "How much longer do you plan to stay here?" Clark asked. Kara shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe another week or two." Clark nodded once more. Before he could say something else, Kara asked him a question. "Clark, do you ever wish that we could use our powers publicly? You know, show the whole Earth who we are and what we can do?"

Clark was stunned by the unexpected question and took a moment to answer. "Not really." "Why not? After all we've done, don't you think it's about time to show Earth has some powerful heroes? If you remember, our fight with Amazo in Metropolis wasn't exactly private." Clark nodded briefly.

"I know, but I'm afraid that if we do we might not only put ourselves, but our loved ones in danger too." Kara lightly punched his shoulder. "Only if everyone saw our faces behind our sleek pairs of shades! That's the whole point we put on those outfits Oliver gave us, right?"

"But…" Kara had cut him off. "But nothing, cousin! Sure, we put on the cool outfits so that our enemies won't know its us when we are on duty, but there's really no reason to not fight evil out in public."

Clark was still apprehensive. Kara went on. "I heard people talking about the Amazo incident, some of them actually having witnessing it. Since Amazo never returned, they believe that the two who fought him had stopped him and vanished. Want to know what they thought of us?" Clark, unsure, motioned her to continue.

"They thought we were brave to go up against him and that we would fight him seriously when we are away from the city, where no one else will get hurt. Those witnesses believed us to be heroes! They wished we could return and make ourselves known! How amazing is that?" she asked.

Clark was surprised even more. "Really?" Kara nodded. "They hope to see us again so that they could thank us. And we aren't the only ones making headlines." "What do you mean?"

"Your old friend Batman and our buddy Green Lantern are making a difference in Gotham and Coast City! I read about all that on the internet. People are praising them for their actions and how the cities had begun to change. Don't you think we can do that too?"

Clark had never thought of it like that. All his life, he used his powers to save people in secret and was careful to avoid being recognized. Even after he started working with Oliver, he still wanted to be discreet of how to use his powers.

But what Kara was saying may not be so bad. Could he and his cousin really inspire other people to follow their example…by doing good deeds in front of the eyes of hundreds? Sure they would still have to make sure that no one knows their real identities, but Kara's idea sounded…interesting.

"I'll think about it." Clark said after a moment. Kara nodded. "That's a start." Just then, Alura knocked on the door. "May I?" "Sure mother." Kara said as her mother walked in and, to the surprise of Clark and Kara, Tyr-Us. He appeared to be holding two cases.

Both cousins stood up at once and gave him a quick bow. "Hello Tyr-Us." Clark said. The Head Council member smiled. "Hello to you too Kal-El, and you as well Kara." The cousins smiled back.

"What brings you here?" Kara asked. Alura answered. "Tyr-Us is here to reward you and Kal-El for stopping Augo and saving Kandor." Clark and Kara were surprised. "You don't have to do that." Clark said at once. Tyr-Us chuckled.

"But I want too. And after discussing it with the rest of the Council, we agreed you both deserve _these_." He then gave the cases to Clark and Kara. "One for each of you." he said. Clark and Kara looked the metal cases, confused.

"What are in these?" Kara asked. Tyr-Us patted the cases. "It's a surprise. Open them when you feel that you need to make a difference. I can tell you this though…they belonged to Jor-El and Lara."

Clark and Kara were surprised as they held the cases. Tyr-Us then turned to Kara and looked more serious. "Kara, I also want to add that your "way" of saying farewell to Augo was a bit…below the belt , shall we say."

Kara looked serious as well when she responded. "He had it coming." "I'm sure he did, but my point is that the Council doesn't take such behavior lightly. Even though Augo was a criminal, you could have just told him goodbye and be done with it."

"I know." Kara said reluctantly. Tyr-Us smiled a bit again. "However, due to the severity of Augo's crimes and how he offended you personally, we will let that one slide. Just don't behave like that in front of the Council again." Kara nodded.

"I won't, Tyr-Us." The elder man nodded. "Very good." He then turned to both cousins. "If you don't mind, I and the rest of the Council would want to see you two off on your way back to Earth."

Clark interrupted. "Tyr-Us, Kara just told me that she's staying here longer." Alura and Tyr-Us looked Kara, surprised. "Really?" Alura asked. Kara smiled. "If you don't mind." Her mother shook her head. "Not at all."

"Well, in that case, we'll just be saying goodbye to you, Kal-El." Clark nodded. "Just wait until we are at the portal." he suggested. They all agreed.

A short while later, at the Council Temple, everyone was there to see Clark go. "Do you have everything with you?" Tyr-Us asked. Clark said he did. "Good, then we and all of Kandor hope you return soon." The rest of the Council nodded to Clark.

"We will not forget what you have done here, Kal-El." another Council member said. Clark scratched the back of his head. "Kara helped me." "Of course." said a female Council member.

Alura then walked over and hugged her nephew one more time. "Goodbye, Kal-El." "Bye Aunt Alura." Clark said as he let her go. Kara then walked up and hugged him.

"Think you can handle yourself without your little cousin around?" she quipped as she broke the hug. Clark smiled. "If things get really hairy, I'll let you know." Kara nodded as she backed off. "Later cousin."

"Later Kara." Clark then turned to the Council. "I'm ready." Tyr-Us nodded. "Open the portal." he instructed. A few seconds later, a circle of energy appeared behind Clark. He waved goodbye to everyone, especially to his aunt and cousin.

'_I hope everyone has been doing alright while I've been gone.'_ Clark thought as he stepped through the portal.

To be continued.


	35. Chapter 34 Messages

Hi. Finally, Clark returns home…but his homecoming was not what he expected! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 34: Messages

Kent Farm:

Clark had just landed in his backyard after flying from the fortress. He was in good spirits; he felt great to have his powers back and to be home again. Before he walked in to unpack, he had someone welcoming him home.

"Hey Shelby. Missed me?" he asked his golden retriever. Shelby barked happily as he wagged his tail. Clark laughed. "Guess that's a yes." he replied as he walked in the back door. "Looks like Ben took good care of you, and the farm, while I've been away."

Before he and Kara left, Clark called his neighbor, Ben Hubbard, to watch over the farm and Shelby till they got back. To make sure nothing out of the ordinary would happen, Clark had Krypto stay with his mom in Washington, D.C.. She didn't mind at all to watch over him, and Krypto seemed to like her instantly.

Clark had moved to his room upstairs and put away all his belongings. He put the metal case that Tyr-Us gave him on the top shelf of his closet. He wondered what could be in it and how it belonged to his father. Clark was sure he'd learn someday, and the same with Kara and her case.

After he made himself a light snack, Clark opened the front door to find a stack of the week's papers piled there. Clark dragged the papers in before he ran to get the mail from his stuffed mailbox and ran back in.

He obviously had to catch up with the day to day events, so he picked up the paper that was published the day he and Kara left for Rokyn. After finding nothing out of the ordinary, he moved on to the day after.

When he read the headlines, however, Clark stood there with immense shock. It was the article that mentioned the Isis Foundation's explosion and how J'onn J'onzz had saved everyone in time.

Clark couldn't believe that this had happened while he was gone. He instantly began to worry if Chloe had gotten hurt, or worse. He calmed down a bit when he found that Chloe was absent at the time of the blast.

But when he found a quote from J'onn being asked how it could've happened, he tensed up again._ "I was supposed to meet Chloe Sullivan to discuss a private matter. Only when I got there, she was gone and a timer had appeared in the computer room. I knew what that would mean, so I had the building evacuated at once."_

Clark didn't understand why someone would want to destroy the Isis Foundation. He thought it was doing so well. Lana had started that operation and Chloe took over after she had left. He bet Lana was just as devastated as he was when she found out.

He, however, was more concerned about Chloe. According to J'onn, he and Chloe were supposed to talk, but never got the chance. And just when J'onn arrived, the timer kicked in. Clark found that highly suspicious.

What did Chloe want to talk to J'onn about? And why wasn't she there when he showed up? Clark took out his cell phone and called the Metropolis Police Department. He hoped that J'onn could explain what was going on.

"_Metropolis Police. How can we be of assistance?"_ said a man on the other line. "I need to speak to Detective John Jones, please. It's important." The man paused briefly. _"What rock have you been hiding under? Detective Jones has been missing all week. It's in the papers."_

Clark was shocked yet again. _"What did you want to discuss with him?"_ Clark shook off his surprise to answer. "Never mind. Thanks for telling me." he said before hanging up.

Clark fell into his chair, shocked by what he had discovered. _'First the Isis Foundation gets blown to pieces, then Chloe and J'onn had a meeting that didn't happen, and now J'onn is gone. What else has been happening here?'_

As he looked over to the pile where he had put the mail, he saw that he had got a letter from Lois. Curious, he picked it up, ripped open the envelope, and took out the letter. As he read it, his fears grew even more.

"_Hey Smallville._

_You'll probably get this right when you and Kara get back from Minnesota. I'm sure you know by now about Chloe's "disappearance", but I know for a fact that she was kidnapped and I strongly believe that Luthorcorp had something to do with it!_

_Jimmy and I have been trying to find her all week, but we couldn't find a damn thing. Luckily, he found a lead and we've decided to follow up on it and "catch a ride". Hopefully, wherever we are going, Chloe will be there for us to bail out._

_If we have not returned with Chloe by the time you read this, take it straight to Oliver. He'll know exactly what to do. I'm letting you know this because I want you to do something about it. Just don't get yourself into anything you can't handle, alright?_

_Be careful. _

_Lois."_

Clark dropped the letter after reading it. He felt numb learning that Chloe had been kidnapped, possibly by Luthorcorp, and that Lois and Jimmy had gone to look for her alone. Clark tightened his fists and scrunched his face in anger.

He shook from both anger and guilt. Clark felt so bad that he wasn't here to protect his friends. If he had not left for Rokyn, none of this would've happened. He could've prevented it all.

But the fact was that he _wasn't_ here, and now some of his closest friends may be in the hands of Luthorcorp. _'Could Talia have arranged Chloe's kidnapping? If so, then why? And does this have anything to do with J'onn's disappearance?'_

Clark's head was buzzing with questions, and he needed to find the answers fast.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis:

Clark had super sped to Metropolis to see what remained of the Isis Foundation. Clark gasped; it was worse than how it looked in the paper. He stared at the remains in sadness.

Lana and Chloe worked so hard to run that place, and now some psycho had blown it to pieces. "It's not pretty, is it?" said a man that was in his 30s who walked by. Clark shook his head.

"Any idea who did this, or why?" he asked desperately. The guy shrugged. "No clue. One minute the place was rock solid, the next…BOOM! It's a shame; my daughter used to go there twice a week. She was starting to grow comfortable going there."

Clark saw the man looked sad as well. "She was one of several youngsters that started to believe that having super abilities wasn't a bad thing. She was upset to learn of it being destroyed." Clark nodded. "I'm sorry." The other man nodded.

"Me too." he said before walking away. As Clark looked back at Isis' remains, he felt more determined than ever to find out the truth…and do something about it.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Daily Planet:

"Lois! Jimmy! Are you guys here?" Clark called out as he walked around the Daily Planet's basement. He had gone there to check if Lois and Jimmy had somehow miraculously returned. Instead of hearing one of them answer, he got an answer from Perry White.

"Kent, so glad you're back! How was Minnesota?" he asked with a smile. Clark couldn't be less pleased to talk about his vacation. "Never mind that. Are Lois and Jimmy here?" he asked calmly. Perry frowned.

"Sorry Clark, both of them haven't turned up since yesterday. I've been trying to reach them, but I got no answer. I'm starting to think they've gone missing too, along with Chloe Sullivan and that Metropolis detective." he replied apologetically.

Clark sighed in frustration. Perry had put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm doing everything I can. In fact, I was just about to put the word out to the cops when you walked in." Perry said with a smile. Clark tried to look reassured. "Thanks."

"No problem." Perry then turned to see a young blonde woman approached him. "Hey Perry, you think this story would be good for my gossip column?" she asked nicely. After looking it over, nodded.

"I'd say you'd get a lot of laughs out of this, Kat. Run it." he said earnestly. Kat nodded. "Thanks." As she walked away, Perry turned back to Clark…only to see that he had vanished. Perry was perplexed.

"Great Caesar's Ghost, where did he run off to now?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Oliver's Apartment:

"Oliver! I need to talk to you!" Clark called as he stepped out of the elevator. He knew that Oliver was his last hope of getting help from. And besides, Lois said to tell Oliver of what was going on. However, the place was empty.

Clark was dreading that something had happened to Oliver too, along with everyone else that disappeared off the face of the Earth. He scanned the whole area, even x-rayed Oliver's room where he kept his Green Arrow gear, but no sign of him anywhere.

The young Kryptonian shook his head. He thought maybe Oliver was off on another mission with the team. He thought about calling him, only for Clark to see a cell phone lying on Oliver's desk near the balcony.

Clark knew that Oliver would never leave his phone lying around. Knowing Oliver, Clark thought that he would've left a message of some sort for him when he came back from Rokyn.

He took another look around with his x-ray vision, and a moment later he found something. Clark removed a spare crossbow in the gear room and took out a hidden DVD. It had the words _"In case of an Emergency"_ on the cover.

Clark hoped that whatever was in that DVD would explain some things.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Once Clark was back home, he turned on his DVD player and popped in the disk he found. He felt it would be safer to play it here than somewhere he could possibly be watched.

When he pressed the "Play" button, the next thing Clark saw was Oliver in his Green Arrow costume. He seemed to be very stressed as he spoke.

"_Steel, Power Girl, if you found this message, then that means I've been captured…and possibly the rest of the team as well." _Clark's eyes widened and his mouth was open in shock as he heard his friend's words.

"_The day after you two left for your "alien getaway", Lois paid me a visit and told me about her getting kidnapped while trying to see Chloe shortly before Isis was blown sky high. She woke up in a warehouse later at night and was found by J'onn."_

Clark continued to be surprised as he listened. _"J'onn and Lois then found Chloe, who apparently wasn't Chloe at all. It was actually a bald, green man with glowing red eyes who shaped shifted to look like Chloe. Lois heard him say that he and J'onn were brothers. Crazy, isn't it?" _Oliver said.

Clark paused the DVD. He remembered the conversation he had with J'onn regarding his Martian friend's origins, including the annihilation of his people and that his demented brother, Ma'alefa'ak, was responsible.

J'onn had thought that his brother died in that flame plague that killed everyone else. But if what Oliver was saying in his message was true, then he had survived. _'If Ma'alefa'ak is still alive, then he must have found out J'onn was alive too and came to Earth to find him and finish the job.'_

But something didn't make sense. Why would Ma'alefa'ak kidnap Chloe and Lois? Why them? Was it just to lure J'onn to him for a final showdown? Obviously, Lois had somehow escaped, but Chloe still remained unaccounted for.

Could Ma'alefa'ak be involved with Luthorcorp somehow? If so, then what? And did Ma'alefa'ak kill J'onn after their reunion? Would that explain J'onn's absence? But Clark shook his head; he refused to believe that until he had solid proof.

Clark then resumed playing the DVD. _"Anyway, Lois heard "J'onn's brother" say that he had taken Chloe somewhere but refused to say. Before Lois could try to smack him silly, J'onn knocked her out and took her back to her apartment. She then woke up the next morning."_

Shelby walked in and laid his head on Clark's feet as Clark continued to listen. _"She soon found out about J'onn being missing and that the warehouse she was in was burned down. I guess J'onn's fight with his brother must've been pretty intense."_

Clark thought so too as he listened. _"She didn't find either of them, but she did find J'onn's hand gun in the wreckage. I think it's safe to say that J'onn could still be alive. Where? I have no idea."_

Clark exhaled, relieved that J'onn's body had not been found. But he was still worried about him, and Chloe, Lois, and Jimmy. _"After that, she told me she had a strange dream about Chloe. She was in a cell of some kind, surrounded by guys with heavy weapons. I think that "dream" was a message from J'onn for us."_

Clark believed that completely; it would be like J'onn to leave something behind incase he couldn't tell Clark or his other friends in person. _"I then told Lois that I would find Chloe with the rest of the guys, while she tried to find any leads at the Daily Planet. After she left, I got the whole team out looking for Chloe."_

Shelby nuzzled Clark's right hand and Clark unconsciously petted him. _"So we split up and searched the country for any signs of Chloe. We found no leads. However, we ran into a problem of our own."_

Clark widened his eyes again, fearing what Oliver was about to say next. _"Someone has been stalking us: Black Canary and I had lost contact with Cyborg while he was patrolling alone. He described the attacker as a grey skinned man with red eyes, and had a powerful blaster with him."_

The young Kryptonian started to feel that same numbness when he read Lois' letter. _"I immediately warned Impulse and Aquaman about him and I heard that they were greeted by our new friend too. Luckily, they managed to get away thanks to my heads up."_

Clark felt very relieved that not _all_ of his friends had been captured. _"After that, I contacted them on a private, secure channel and told them to go into hiding while I searched for Chloe alone. They and Black Canary objected, but I was firm; I refused to let this creep capture another one of my guys. That was the last time I heard from them."_

Clark hoped that Bart and AC were still alright, wherever they are. _"However, it was not over. Just as we were heading back, Black Canary got shot by our stalker and fell. I tried to help her but he used a smoke bomb on me. Next thing I knew, there was a burst of light and Black Canary was gone."_ Oliver's voice almost cracked there.

Clark noticed it and wondered if Oliver's feelings for Dinah were deeper than he thought. He saw Oliver shift a bit before continuing.

"_I returned to Metropolis alone. I think whoever that bastard is, he's hacking into our radio frequencies to track us, though I don't get how he's able to attack us when we are far apart. After I got back, I made this message for you and your cousin."_

Oliver seemed to have heard something and turned around. There was nothing there, but he suddenly became more alert. _"It sounds like I may have company real soon. Remember, if I've been captured, then that means it's up to you and Power Girl to finish our job. Find Chloe and make sure everyone else is alright. Good luck."_

The message ended in static. Clark got up and stood in thought. From the way Oliver reacted to the noise in the background, it could've been this "stalker" he mentioned.

'_Could Oliver have been captured by that guy right after he hid the DVD in his_ _apartment? Where could he, Dinah, and Victor be held at? And where did Bart and AC hide at after their run in with the stalker? And who the hell is the stalker anyway?'_

Clark shook his head in misery. He could not believe that he had lost almost everyone in just a short week! They were all gone and he was not there to stop it all from happening.

"How could all of this have happened, boy?" he asked miserably to Shelby, who whined in response. With Kara still on Rokyn, it was all up to Clark to put things right. As he brushed aside his misery and guilt, he became filled with determination. He immediately formed a plan.

First, Clark will call his mom and inform her of the situation. He'll tell her to keep Krypto nearby just incase. After that, he'll try to find a lead by paying a certain Luthorcorp CEO a visit…

To be continued.


	36. Chapter 35 Rescue

Hi. Time for Clark to deliver some payback! Please enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 35: Rescue

Luthorcorp CEO Office:

"_How is business at Luthorcorp, Talia?" _"Everything is running smoothly, father. The last few shipments of meteor rocks will be delivered to you very soon." Talia answered. Her father seemed pleased.

"_Very good, daughter. Soon, "Project Genesis" will commence…and the world will be better for it."_ Talia nodded, smiling. "I know it will make a big difference to everyone, especially the ones in…"

Talia paused when she saw her office door open, and was surprised to see Clark Kent walk in. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'll talk to you later, goodbye." She then hung up and smiled up at Clark.

"Hello, Mr. Kent. It's been a while, hasn't it?" she asked politely, smiling. Clark didn't look happy, which struck Talia as odd. "Yeah, it has." he said in a flat tone. Talia looked concerned. "Is there something wrong?" Clark leaned on Talia's desk.

"Have you seen or talked to Lois recently?" he asked business like. Talia looked at Clark in the eyes. "As a matter of fact, yes. She walked in here yesterday to ask me a question I couldn't answer. I then told her to leave."

"Was that before or after you threatened her with security?" Clark asked. Talia was stunned. "How did you know that?" "I guessed; I've known Lois long enough to know that she doesn't give up that easily."

Talia nodded. "What did Lois ask you when she was here?" Clark asked. Talia straightened herself. "She only asked about our latest truck shipments, but I told her it was none of her business…completely confidential." Clark nodded.

"Why are you asking me about all this?" Talia asked back. "Because she disappeared and no one has seen her…she might've been kidnapped." Clark said, emphasizing the last word. Talia again looked surprised.

"_Kidnapped?_ What makes you believe that?" she asked innocently. "I just have a hunch. I've just been to the Daily Planet, and my boss told me that Lois has not returned since yesterday." Talia looked away, apparently worried.

Clark spoke more determinedly. "Talia, if you know anything about where Lois could possibly be, you have to tell me." Talia focused on Clark again, and she became firm.

"Like I said, what Lois wanted to know I couldn't tell her. You have no more permission to know than she did." "This isn't about your company! It's about Lois' life! She could be in real danger, so please…tell me anything that could lead me to her!" Clark responded angrily.

Talia was taken aback by Clark's heated argument. She could tell that Clark was very determined to find his friend, and she could also sense the worry in his voice. For a moment, Talia said nothing. Clark took that as a hint and proceeded to walk out.

Before he reached the door, he turned back at Talia, looking angry. "I thought you would be better than Lex and Lucas. But I guess I expected too much from a CEO of Luthorcorp." he said harshly as he opened the door.

"Wait." Talia said instantly. Clark stopped and turned to Talia again. Talia got up and walked to him, holding a folder. She then gave it to Clark. "What's this?" he asked.

"Our last shipments from yesterday. The exact contents are omitted, but there destinations aren't. If Lois is as determined as you say, she might have hitched hiked on one of these trucks."

Clark then remembered the part in Lois' letter where it said she and Jimmy would "catch a ride". _'Could this what Lois have meant in her letter?'_ Clark thought as he looked at the folder. He looked back at Talia, smiling a little. "Thank you."

Talia nodded as Clark opened the folder. He saw that there were three shipments yesterday: One in the early morning, one at noon, and another in the late evening. "What time did Lois see you?" Clark asked after examining the schedule.

"It was around 2:30 in the afternoon." Talia said. Clark understood. "Then Lois could only have taken the evening truck." Clark said as he looked at the schedule again.

He saw that all three shipments would be taken to an airport and flown out to the same location. "Black Creek?" "It's a Luthorcorp facility in Montana." Clark narrowed his eyes. "What is it being used for?" Talia shrugged.

"Typical scientific research. It is being run by Dr. Edward Groll, head of Luthorcorp's Nanotechnology Division. He had been working for Lex since the first Smallville meteor shower and is now working for me." Clark became more concerned.

"What exactly is being researched there by Dr. Groll? What was brought to that place in those trucks?" Clark asked. Talia suddenly became firm again. "Nothing that would be potentially harmful to the public, I can assure you Clark." she said in a strict tone.

Clark then thought about what Lois and Jimmy could've found there. _'Is it possible that Lois and Jimmy never escaped from there? Could Chloe be there as well?'_ He began to worry about them even more.

Whatever was being "researched" there, if he found out Chloe was part of that research, being used as a guinea pig…he was going to make someone _very_ sorry. Clark handed the folder back to Talia. "Thank you again." he said before he walked out the door.

Talia stood there, seemingly uncomfortable by the whole conversation.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Black Creek:

Lois and Jimmy sat there in there cell, worrying about Chloe's current condition. They still could not believe what they had found out yesterday, and they both knew that if they didn't find a way out and tell of their discoveries…it would mean the end of Earth.

Their thoughts were distracted by Lucas, who had walked down from the stairs nearby. "How are you two doing today?" Lucas asked casually. Lois walked up and spat in his face. Lucas wiped his face off. "I guess that's my answer." he replied.

Lois snarled. "You are piece of trash, you know that?" Lucas chuckled. "Must you always be so feisty?" "Feisty? Try down right ferocious." she said in a dangerous tone. "How can you do this Chloe? Why her?" Jimmy said as he walked up next to Lois.

Lucas smirked. "Chloe is the perfect person for the project…and she already has all the qualifications that "Project Eve" required. You already know everything after your digging around yesterday." Lois and Jimmy felt angrier than they've ever been.

"You keep smirking, thinking everything is going your way. But I know for a fact that there people out there ready to fight back!" Lois threatened. Lucas laughed. "Are you referring to that bastard, the Green Arrow?" Lois did not respond as Lucas began pacing in front of them.

"Well, he's no longer a problem. I've hired a professional to apprehend him and his band of super powered freaks. They are his prisoners now." Lois looked shocked, but regained her fierce look. Jimmy looked confused. "Sorry chump; not buying it."

Lucas shook his head. "I assure you, Lois, Green Arrow and his team have been scratched off my list of possible threats. My "Key" man is holding them all in a impenetrable hideout in the Southern Andes. They have no hope of escape."

While Jimmy was startled by that the Green Arrow had a team and that they were captured by one man, Lois started to feel hopeless. She couldn't believe her last hope for rescue was gone. Lucas then started to walk away.

"Enjoy your imprisonment. I'll give your cousin, and your fiancé", he added as he looked briefly at Jimmy, "your greetings. It won't be long until she is ready." He then walked out of sight. Lois and Jimmy sat back down, more saddened than ever.

"What a scumbag." Jimmy remarked savagely. Lois nodded. "I second that." Jimmy then looked at Lois. "I didn't know Green Arrow had a team of some kind. Did you?" he asked curiously. Lois nodded, which left Jimmy stunned.

"He accidentally spilled those beans one day after…he saved my life once." she answered. She refused to tell Jimmy how she really knew. After hearing that there was no one coming for them, they both lost all their hope.

In his room of the building, Lucas had just arrived to find someone waiting for him. Lucas smiled to see a tall woman who had a bizarre appearance; she looked like a human cat.

Her long auburn hair and black eyes (with a hint of brown) mostly caught Lucas' eyes, rather than the rest of her body. She also held a small box in her claw like hands. "Here it is, Lucas. Just what you asked me to get." she said as she handed him the box.

Lucas opened it and was very pleased. "My master will be pleased about our progress. Now that we have all three of the essential pieces, "Project Apocalypse" will be able to get underway."

"And we can have what Darkseid promised us." said the cat like woman as she wrapped her arms around Lucas. Lucas nodded as he put the box down on his desk. "I would've been here right after I transmitted to you, but I wanted to…freshen up."

She wore a loose, dark purple dress with the arms completely exposed. Lucas seemed to like it. "You look like a knockout, Barbara." Lucas whispered. "I told you…call me _Cheetah_." She said before they kissed.

Not more than a minute later, Lucas and Cheetah felt a strong tremor that shook the building. "What the hell was that?" Lucas asked. "There must've been an explosion." Cheetah thought. Lucas thought so too.

"Sorry, but we can pick up where we left off later. Now, I suggest you head back to Gateway City. I'll contact you later." Lucas said as he walked out. Cheetah understood, and after pushing a button on her hand, vanished in a burst of light.

Back at their cell, Lois and Jimmy heard the noise too and stood up, feeling afraid. "What was that?" Jimmy asked. "Sounded like a wall just got punched down." Lois replied.

At the other side of the building, several guards had rant to the broken wall, which was the source of the disturbance. As the dust cleared, they saw a man garbed in red and blue with yellow shades. Steel looked around with an determined look.

"Don't move, or we'll shoot!" one of the guards shouted. Steel just inhaled as much air as he could, then let it all blow out. His super breath hit the guards like a battering ram, causing them to fly into the walls. They all fell unconscious.

"You didn't say I couldn't _breathe_." Steel remarked as he scanned the building with his x-ray vision. He instantly found Lois and Jimmy not too far away. He instantly super sped to them.

When he saw them, he smiled. It was the first time he saw them since before he and Kara left for Rokyn. He was glad to see that both of them were unharmed. Lois and Jimmy were surprised, and glad, to see him.

"Hey Lois, he's one of the two that scared off Ivo's psychopathic android!" Jimmy said as Steel approached them. "That's him alright, thank God." Lois said as she smiled big time. Steel then ripped the door open and tossed it aside.

"Are you two alright?" he asked in his deepened voice. Lois and Jimmy nodded. "Thank you so much. How did you find us?" Lois asked. Steel smiled. "Clark Kent showed me the letter you wrote to him. I couldn't find Green Arrow, so I came after you myself after I found a lead." he answered.

Lois couldn't have appreciated him more. "Remind me to thank Smallville when we get back." She then remembered about her previous chat with Lucas.

"Lucas told us that Green Arrow and his team were captured by someone called "Key". How did you escape?" she asked. Steel paused for a bit before answering. "Lucas must've exaggerated; I was never captured. But I have been away and I'm back now. Sorry for the delay." he said with a warm smile.

Though he didn't show it, Steel was surprised to learn that this "Key" that captured Oliver and the others was working for Lucas. _'Just what kind of connection do they have?_ He would ponder that later.

"Come on, let's get you two out of here." he said. Lois held his arm. "Wait Steel! There's someone else here that needs saving!" she said urgently. Steel looked at her straight in the eye. "Who?" he asked, dreading he'd hear _her_ name too.

"Chloe Sullivan; she's my cousin." Lois answered. "And my fiancé." Jimmy added. Steel stiffened. _'So Chloe is here after all.'_ He quickly loosened up. "Do you know where she is?" he asked quickly.

"She's a floor above us; Lab 505." Lois answered. Steel nodded. "Thanks. You two stay out of sight. I'll be back in a second." He then zoomed away before another word was spoken.

Lois and Jimmy looked apprehensive. They wondered if they should've told Steel about what was happening to Chloe. But they knew that he would find out for himself.

A second later, Steel arrived on the next floor and saw a door labeled "Lab 505". Steel saw more guards as he appeared. "Stop him!" one of them shouted as he and the others fired their weapons.

Steel just walked up to them casually as the bullets bounced off of him like pebbles. The guards continued to fire until they were out of ammo. They were astounded that their firepower had left no damage on him at all.

Then with the push of his arms, Steel threw the guards away and knocked them out. He then proceeded to punch through the door to the lab that held his best friend. _'Chloe, I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you. But now…I'm making up for it.'_

With a powerful punch, the door flew into the back wall of the lab. When he walked in, he finally found his missing friend. But what he saw shocked him. He imagined Chloe being tortured or something, but nothing like this.

Chloe was unconscious in a large tank of water with an oxygen mask on, and wore a tight suit that covered her whole body. But what really caught Steel's attention was how Chloe looked…different.

Her stomach had enlarged a great deal. If Steel wasn't mistaken, and he didn't see how he could be, it would seem that Chloe was… _'Chloe, you're…pregnant?!'_ Steel thought as he stared at her.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a dark haired man yelling at him. "Hey, you're not allowed in here!" Steel turned to the man and appeared instantly in front of him, and looked angry.

"What have you _done_ to her?" he asked angrily. The man seemed scared, but remained steadfast. "That is classified…" Steel then picked the man up by the collar, lifting him several inches off the ground. The man was really afraid now.

"That is my best friend in that thing! Tell me now!!" Steel yelled. The scientist cowered. "Fine, alright! But first, you should know that both her and her baby are in good health. There is nothing wrong with them at all!" he said in a hurry.

Steel flinched a bit after hearing confirmation that Chloe was indeed pregnant. "Who are you, and why did you do this to her?" he asked, his anger building. "I'm Dr. Groll, the man in charge of "Project Eve", which your "friend" is the center of."

"What the hell is "Project Eve"?" Steel inquired. Dr. Groll shook from fear. "It is a program to create a new breed of humans…and Chloe Sullivan was chosen to be the subject for it." Steel shoved him into the wall, making Groll yelp a bit.

"Why did you choose Chloe? Why did you impregnate _her_?!" Steel asked, practically yelling. Dr. Groll flinched. "It was my employer who selected her, not me! I was just doing what I was instructed…" "Talia Ducard, you mean?!" he asked. Dr. Groll shook his head. That confused Steel.

"If she wasn't the one who authorized this, then who is?" "Me." Steel turned around to see someone that really made his blood boil. "Lucas." Steel said most unpleasantly. Lucas didn't look so happy himself.

"Can't say I'm happy to see you again, old friend. Now be so kind and put down Dr. Groll." Steel then threw down the doctor and focused all his attention on Lucas. "Why did you take Chloe and make her your lab rat?!" Steel yelled.

Lucas stared at Chloe, still floating in the tank. "Lab rat? Hardly. Chloe Sullivan will soon give birth to the first of a new race of humans, one that will far surpass the old. "Eve"…such a fitting name for a project of that magnitude, wouldn't you say?"

Steel restrained himself from reaching for Lucas' throat with all the willpower he had. "Why her? Why make her have a baby like that?" he asked, trying to compose himself. Lucas gave a look of curiosity.

"That's the funny thing. I didn't have her impregnated…she already was when she was brought here." Steel's anger was then replaced with shock. "What did you say?" he asked, completely stunned. Lucas looked again at Chloe's expanded stomach.

"Yep, your blonde companion has been pregnant for a week or two when she was taken from her bed. I had a friend bring her here, where everything was ready. The original plan was to impregnate her with a child that will fill the Earth with a new and improved race, but to my surprise it wasn't necessary."

Steel didn't want to hear anymore of this. "That still doesn't explain why you chose her out of millions of young women on the planet!" Lucas nodded. "I chose her out of revenge." He then looked directly at Steel.

"You and your cousin were supposed to have died at the hands of Ivo's android, and not only did you two miraculously survive, but you had sent Green Arrow's team to _my_ mansion and literally kicked me out! And particularly after the beating I received, did you really think I'd let you off the hook that easily?!" he shouted.

Steel stared back angrily. "You knew you had that coming, Lucas." "Just like you had _this_ coming!" he spat while he pointed at Chloe. "Your best friend is going to have a baby unlike any the world has ever seen, and the humans you know will be wiped out to make room for it's descendents!" Steel had heard enough.

"That's enough Lucas!" But Lucas did not stop his ranting. "Do you know what the best part is? I may have accelerated the baby's growing process in that tank's specialized water, but other than that…I didn't do a damn thing to it! That baby's unique physiology has nothing to do with me!"

Steel began to walk toward Lucas. "Whatever Chloe did to her child, it was most likely all her fault! She practically _made_ herself the perfect candidate for "Project Eve"!" Steel then smacked Lucas, which sent him flying into the opposite wall. He was unconscious.

Steel felt a little better after shutting up Lucas. He then turned back to Dr. Groll. "Let Chloe out of that tank…now." he said in a calm, but threatening tone. The now extremely nervous Dr. Groll nodded as he ran over to the tank's controls. "It, it will take just a few seconds."

They both watched as the tank emptied itself and Chloe slowly fell down to the bottom. Once all the water was gone, Dr. Groll walked over and opened the tank's door and removed Chloe's oxygen mask. He checked her pulse. "She is fine." he said.

Grateful, Steel carefully lifted up Chloe and turned to Dr. Groll once more. "I'll be back for you and your boss." he said threateningly before he super sped out. Groll sighed deeply as he fell to the floor, completely stressed out by the whole ordeal.

Back at the cells, Lois and Jimmy waited for Steel to return with Chloe. When they saw her, they were filled with shock. "Oh my god, Chloe's baby has been doing a hell of a lot growing!" Lois remarked as she stared at Chloe's stomach.

"Yeah, it looks like it could be born soon." Jimmy said. Steel nodded. "Let's get you all back home. I believe the best place is back at her home." Lois and Jimmy nodded.

"Then let's hightail it out of here already!" Lois said as they headed outside quickly through the whole Steel made earlier. Once they were out, Steel told them to get on his back and hold on.

"Lois, you will get on my back, and Jimmy will be on top of you." he instructed. Once Lois and Jimmy were ready, Steel slowly took to the sky and flew back to the direction of the Talon.

Steel hoped that Chloe will be alright, and just as important, her unborn baby. He was still concerned of what Lucas said about having nothing to do with the baby's condition. Whatever it was, he would worry about it when they got back. And he'll have to remember to have another talk with Talia regarding "her" employee.

Back at Black Creek, Lucas came around. When he saw Chloe absent from her tank, he was most very displeased. Dr. Groll came to help him up. "Are you alright, Mr. Luthor?" he asked. Lucas shoved him off and nodded.

"I've had worse than that." "What do we do now?" Lucas then wobbly headed out the lab. "I'll transfer you, and all the equipment here, at the Kord Industries facility in Hawaii to assist with the other project there." he instructed.

"What about the girl and her baby?" Groll asked. "Then I'll just have to get her and her baby back, won't I?" he asked sarcastically. Groll didn't dare retort. Lucas rubbed his ribs.

"But before I do, I'll call a "friend" of mine to prepare for a possible arrival of our colored son of a bitch…and to tell him to fortify his place with the only thing that can possibly kill him…" he said as he took out a picture of a green rock from his pocket.

To be continued.


	37. Chapter 36 Regroup

Hi. Here is another great chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 36: Regroup

The Talon:

Lois, Jimmy, and Steel, while carrying Chloe, made it back to Smallville safely. Once they've reached the Talon, Lois showed Steel the apartment and had him lay Chloe down on her bed.

It was ironic to Steel that Chloe would be returned to the exact spot she was when she was kidnapped._ 'But Lucas will try to get Chloe and her baby back. I have to be ready when he does.'_

After Chloe was resting comfortably, Steel joined Lois and Jimmy in the main room. "I think Chloe is going to be alright." Steel said. Lois and Jimmy nodded. "Yeah, thanks to you." Lois replied. Steel smiled.

"But she's going to freak out when she finds out about the baby!" Jimmy stated. "I think what will shock her even more is how far along her pregnancy is." Lois said. "Chloe will definitely be overwhelmed, but as long as she is with family and friends, she'll pull through." Steel said.

"I guess you're right. I'm going to watch over her." Jimmy said as he walked into Chloe's room. "I'll let you guys know when she's awake." Once he had the door closed, Steel then turned to Lois.

"I am glad all three of you were unharmed when I got at Black Creek." Steel said. Lois smiled. "Four, if you count the soon to be newest addition to the Sullivan/Lane family." she stated. Steel nodded.

"Are you going to go back to that madhouse and bring in Lucas?" Lois asked a moment later. "I am. I have a feeling Lucas knows more than he told me back there…" But then Lois interrupted him.

"Oh, you bet he does! But before you take his ass to prison, you might want to take a look at _this._" Lois then turned around and fiddled with her bra, which made Steel curious.

Lois faced him again and showed him her flash drive. "What's on that?" Steel asked. "Everything you need to know about Lucas' dirty little scheme. And trust me, it'll blow you away." she said ominously as she got out her laptop, booted it up, and inserted the flash drive.

"Does Lucas know you and Jimmy stole information from him?" Lois smirked. "He knows that Jimmy and I know of his plans, but he was too proud of himself to think that we might have proof to take back with us." she replied confidently.

Steel then saw the icons of the three files Lois and Jimmy stole from Lucas. He recognized one of them. "Lucas filled me in on pretty much everything about Project Eve. But Genesis and Apocalypse he didn't mention." Lois nodded.

"What exactly did our ex rich boy say to you about Eve?" Lois asked. "Just that it involved creating a new human race and that Chloe's baby would be the first. He also mentioned something unique about the baby…but he said he didn't do anything to it other than accelerate it's growth."

"Well if you take a look at the file, you'll see how "unique" that baby is." Lois said hesitantly. "I'll look at it in a bit, but first I want to see Projects Genesis and Apocalypse." Steel suggested. At once Lois began opening the files.

In Chloe's bedroom, Jimmy sat in a chair next to the bed. He watched Chloe sleep without ever turning away. He was worried of how she'll take the news that she was going to be a mother.

As he watched her for several minutes, Jimmy promised himself that he would take care of Chloe and her baby, no matter what. He would watch over the baby, whether it was his or not, because that baby's mother is the love of his life. He would never leave her, ever.

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Chloe stir in her bed. She slowly opened her eyes and rubbed them. Jimmy smiled big time. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty." he said playfully. Chloe turned to him and smiled back warmly.

"Morning to you too, Prince Charming." They chuckled a bit. "How are you…feeling?" he asked nervously. "I feel like I've been asleep for a week." she said softly as she stretched her arms. He gave a nervous look. "You're not far off."

Chloe looked at him confusingly. "What do you mean?" she asked. As she started to feel more awake, she finally noticed her attire…and how tight it felt. "What the hell am I wearing? I don't remember putting _these_ on before bed."

Before Jimmy could say answer, Chloe threw of her bed covers. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock as she saw "big" she had gotten. Chloe then looked back at Jimmy, looking afraid.

"Jimmy…I definitely don't remember gaining a few pounds before I fell asleep. What happened to me?" she asked in a fearful whisper. Jimmy got up and sat on the bed next to Chloe. He held her hands and looked into her eyes.

During that time, Steel and Lois had looked over the Genesis and Apocalypse files. When they finally closed them, Steel felt like he got hit by a monster truck. He stood there in plain shock.

He couldn't believe what Lucas had been planning to do for months, and who he had been working with. But most shocking of all, Lucas was not even the master mind behind all of this…it was Darkseid. Steel shook his head.

'_Lucas has been working for Darkseid all this time, right under our noses…and we didn't suspect a thing! How could I have not seen it? Their plans take action on the very day Brainiac 5 said Earth would be doomed: New Years. I have to stop them!'_

"You okay, big guy?" Lois asked. Steel composed himself. "It's just that…all this information is unbelievable." he said slowly. Lois agreed completely. "I know the feeling." She then opened up the Eve file.

"Most of this talks about what you heard from Lucas. But as for the baby's uniqueness, you might want to scroll down to the bottom." she suggested. Steel did so and read about what was so special about the baby.

Steel was shocked yet again. "Oh my god." he said to himself. He instantly knew what the additional info meant, but was appalled by it. _'It can't be! How could this even be possible?'_

"My reactions exactly". Lois said. Just then, they heard a yell from Chloe's bedroom. "I'm WHAT?! How could I be pregnant, and be _this_ close to giving birth?!" Steel and Lois jumped up from surprise. "Sounds like Chloe's awake." Lois said as she and Steel walked in the bedroom

When they saw her, Chloe looked more afraid than she has been in her whole life. Chloe felt a bit relieved when she saw her cousin and best friend, but also felt confused as to why he was wearing his costume.

"Lois? What's going on?" Chloe said as tried to get up. Lois stopped her. "Whoa! Take it easy cuz; you're not as thin as you used to be." she said cautiously. Chloe was breathing in and out very fast.

"Chloe, try to calm down. We'll explain." Steel said. After hearing him, she sat back down on the bed and trying to calm herself. After a moment or two, she breathed easier, but she was still scared.

"Someone please give me the 411 here." Chloe said, edgy. Steel wanted very much to her everything himself, but he felt that Lois and Jimmy, who were closer to her as family, should do the talking. He would talk to her in private later.

"Listen, a lot has been happening this past week and you pretty much missed the whole deal. We'll fill you in." Lois said softly as she sat next to Chloe as well. "But first, let's bring you up to speed about your kid."

Over the next hour, Lois and Jimmy told Chloe about her kidnapping by Lucas, being locked up in a tank, having her baby grow faster than normal, and lastly what Lucas planned for her baby. They left out the part about the unusual nature of the baby to not freak her out too much.

They then went on to tell of how they managed to find her, but ended up being captured themselves. "If it weren't for Steel here, we would still be locked up." Jimmy said, finishing the story. Chloe pretty much felt like tearing Lucas apart. "If Lucas was here, and if I wasn't this big, I'd kick his ass right now." she said after a moment.

"Trust me, we don't blame you if you would." Jimmy replied. Chloe didn't know what overwhelmed her more; her anger at Lucas, or the fact that she was going to be a mother very soon.

"So, I was already pregnant when Lucas arranged my kidnapping?" Chloe asked. Steel answered this time. "Only by a week or two." Chloe nodded. After a moment to digest it all, she asked another question.

"Why would Lucas take me?" Lois and Jimmy shrugged. "He just said that you were the perfect person for the project. He didn't go into certain details." Lois said. Steel knew the real reason though, but he kept that to himself for now.

Chloe then turned to Steel and smiled. "Thanks for saving us Steel." Steel smiled back. "Anytime." Steel then turned to Lois and Jimmy. "Would you guys mind if I talked to Chloe alone for a bit?" Lois and Jimmy, though surprised, nodded.

"No problem. We'll just head downstairs and have some well missed coffee. Let us know if you need anything." Lois said as she faced Chloe. "Sure, thanks." Lois and Jimmy then walked out.

When they were finally alone, Clark took off his shades. "Are you sure you're alright, Chloe?" he asked softly. Chloe nodded. "Besides that I have a belly the size of a foot stool, I'm just fine."

Clark couldn't help but smile. "I'm glad you're not in any pain." He then looked very upset. "And I'm so sorry I couldn't save you earlier." Chloe shook her head. "I'm fine now, Clark. Don't beat yourself up about your tardiness."

Clark still felt bad, which Chloe noticed. "Although, I would like to know why you took so long to bust out me, my cousin, and my fiancé." Clark then looked confused. "I told you why. Kara and I were visiting Kandor on the planet Rokyn, remember?"

Chloe now looked confused too. "Kandor? Rokyn? What are you talking about?" Clark seemed stunned. "You were at my house with Oliver that morning about a week ago, and I told you both that Kara and I would spend the next week in a Kryptonian city on another planet. Don't you remember?" he asked.

His best friend shook her head. "I think I would've remembered a conversation like that, but I honestly don't. The last thing I remember was going to bed one night…then I woke up here, after being rescued by you."

Clark looked speechless; an unpleasant thought had passed through his mind a moment later. "Oh no." he said as he started pacing. "What's wrong?" Chloe asked. Clark turned to her, feeling like a complete fool.

"Someone was there with us that morning, but it wasn't you. It was someone who disguised himself to look and sound like you…and none of us knew it." Chloe felt lost now. "And imposter? Who?" Clark sighed.

"Ma'alefa'ak. He's J'onn's twisted brother, and the one who was responsible for wiping out all life on Mars…save for J'onn and himself." Chloe looked stunned now. Clark paused for a bit before continuing.

"It was Ma'alefa'ak who kidnapped you and took you to Lucas at Black Creek. They were in on this together. He must've taken you the night before Kara and I left." Clark explained.

"Why would a renegade Martian side with Lucas?" Clark sighed again. "I don't know, but I do know that _this_ was my fault." "What was your fault?" Chloe asked. Clark looked angry at himself as he continued.

"When he was pretending to be you, he asked me where to find J'onn. I knew I had told you where he was. I thought it was odd that you would forget that, but I never gave it anymore thought. I should've known then it wasn't you."

Chloe became firm. "Listen Clark, Ma'alefa'ak probably pretended to be me so well that nobody would think otherwise. You can't blame yourself for not putting two and two together then." Clark shook his head.

"It's not just that. I lead him straight to J'onn; I _told_ him where to find his brother so that he could kill him! J'onn is gone now and it's all my fault!" he exclaimed softly, trying not to let Lois and Jimmy hear. Clark then sat back down next to Chloe.

"Stop that Clark. Do you even know if J'onn is dead?" Chloe asked. Clark sighed again. "No; his body has not turned up. But he hasn't reappeared either. All I know is that he and his brother had a big fight later and they both disappeared."

Chloe felt confused again. "How do you know that if you were in a galaxy far, far away all week?" "When I got back and found out about your kidnapping and that Lois and Jimmy had gone to find you, I went to Oliver. Only he wasn't there, just a DVD."

He then told Chloe what Oliver said in his message. When he was done, Chloe was shocked again. "So Ollie and the others are being held somewhere by this stalker?"

Clark nodded. "Everyone except Bart and AC. I don't know where the others are, but Lois might. She said Lucas told her and Jimmy that they were being held captive by someone called "Key." I think he is working for Lucas too." Clark suspected.

"That wouldn't surprise me." Chloe said. After a moment, she continued. "by the way, where is Kara? Shouldn't she be here too?" "She decided to stay on Rokyn for a few more weeks. Maybe I had time, I'd tell you the whole story." Chloe nodded in understanding.

"How did you find us at that Black Creek place?" "I talked to Talia to try to find a lead on where Lois and Jimmy could have gone to look for you."

"I'm guessing that you succeeded?" Clark nodded. "I convinced her to let me see the shipping schedule for her supply trucks. The items were black out, but all of them were headed to Black Creek. Besides, it helped that Lois left a hint in a letter she sent to me before she and Jimmy had gone." he said with a small smile.

Chloe was astounded. "But if those shipments lead you to that facility, wouldn't that mean Talia was in on Lucas' scheme about me? Why would she compromise that by helping you?" Clark shrugged.

"I don't know. I plan to visit her again, after I make another trip to Black Creek to clean up the mess Lucas made." "Clark, it's possible that Lucas is probably moving out by now since you know about it." Chloe guessed. "Maybe, but I have to be sure."

Clark then felt very uncomfortable. "Chloe?" "Yeah?" Clark then got up again and looked away. "While Lois and Jimmy were there, before they were captured, they downloaded three files on a flash drive and kept it from Lucas."

Chloe listened as Clark talked. "Lois just showed me the files on Projects Genesis, Eve, and Apocalypse." He paused. Chloe waited. "And?" Clark looked back. "They've revealed Lucas' entire plan and what it could mean for Earth. But most of all, they've shown that he is not the brains of the outfit." Chloe looked stunned again.

"But if whatever Lucas is up is not his plan, then who is pulling his strings?" Clark took a deep breath and let it out before answering. "Darkseid." Chloe's mouth fell open again.

"What?! That megalomaniac alien warlord Brainiac 5 warned us about?" she asked in shock. Clark nodded. "The very same. He is behind everything that Lucas has been doing these last several months. And if nothing is done to stop them, they'll succeed on the day that they plan to put their projects into action."

"New Years?" Chloe asked. Clark nodded again. "From what I've read, the results of their plans would be exactly as Brainiac 5 told us: _"He will turn the Earth into a living inferno and take all it's inhabitants as his slaves."_ Just like that."

Chloe shook her head now. "Why would Lucas sell out his own people to Darkseid? Is he mad?!" "Goes to show how different from Lex he is; Lex would never take the offer if he was in Lucas' shoes." Clark replied strongly.

Clark knew that even though Lex wasn't his friend anymore, he knew that Lex always did things his way, not someone else's. In a way, Lucas was far more dangerous than Lex because of his willingness to serve a powerful evil from another world, probably at a price too.

"Anything else I should know?" Chloe asked. Clark hesitated a minute or two before answering. "I…I know how you got pregnant." Chloe looked stunned. "Clark, I think we all know how babies are made." she said almost jokingly.

"Yours wasn't made the same way." he said clearly. Chloe sat still, confused once again. "Clark, when Lois and Jimmy told me I was already pregnant when I was kidnapped…were they lying?" she asked nervously. Clark shook his head.

"No, they didn't. You didn't get impregnated artificially by Lucas…but that was what he planned to do when he got you." he said. "Then how _was_ it made?" Chloe asked evermore nervously. Clark really didn't want to tell her, but he felt she had to know; it was _her_ baby after all.

"Chloe…you're pregnant because of Brainiac." Chloe started to pale after hearing that. As her eyes widened in shock, she stared at her stomach again. She took several quick breaths.

"_Brainiac_?" she asked fearfully. Clark nodded. "The file on Project Eve said that a large number of nanites had gathered at your uterus and started fertilization there a few weeks ago. No one at Black Creek could explain the origin of the nanites, but they could tell that they were not like any they've seen or even heard of."

Chloe continued to stare at her stomach, feeling absolutely terrified. "I think those Brainiac nanites got inside you when he attacked you that night months ago." "But if that's the case, then why did Brainiac's micro bugs take so long to do _this_?" she asked frantically as she pointed at her stomach.

"I have no idea. Can you tell me what you saw and felt that night? It might give a clue." Chloe didn't reply for a long moment. "Well, I do remember Brainiac piercing my skull with his wire like fingers. It was so painful I felt like my head was about to split open." She paused, trying to remember all the details.

"Right before I blacked out, I saw a bright light…the same light that appeared when I used my healing power." Chloe said no more. Clark nodded. "It's possible that your meteor power could've delayed Brainiac's nanites from activating."

"But what would the point be for Brainiac to impregnate a human? Wouldn't he rather possess me rather than give me a child?" Chloe questioned. "Maybe Jor-El has an idea. After I rescue everyone, I'll talk to him."

"But in the meantime, I'll be providing nourishment for the offspring of a evil alien supercomputer." she said disgustingly. Clark held Chloe's shoulder. "Everything is going to be fine, I promise." he said with a reassuring smile. Chloe smiled back.

Clark then got up and put his shades back on. "I'll go ask Lois and Jimmy about the whereabouts of Oliver and the others. Then I'll go and find the rest of the team." "Clark wait." Clark turned back at Chloe.

"Lucas is sure to have warned the Key by now that you might be stopping by. If Lucas knows your secret, it's possible that he might've discovered your weakness and told Key that. He could be waiting for you." Chloe warned.

Clark understood. "You might be right." "Why don't I use the Isis mainframe to track down Key's hideout? That might work." she suggested. Clark bit his lip. "That…might _not_ work." Chloe looked confused again.

"What's wrong now?" Clark looked sorry again. "Shortly after you were kidnapped…the Isis Foundation was destroyed." If Chloe thought she couldn't get shocked again, she was wrong.

"Isis is gone!?" she exclaimed. "Someone blew it up. Luckily, nobody was killed. J'onn got everyone out in time; that was probably the last thing he did before he vanished."

Chloe was breathless. "Oh god, that place was starting to make a difference and some wacko decides to blow it to kingdom come! Lana must've been upset about the news when she heard." "I think so too." Clark said.

After shaking off the latest piece of bad news, Chloe shook her head. "Who knew that so much hell could be happening while you were gone?" Clark looked grim. "And it was only just the beginning."

Clark then opened the door to the apartment. "I'll be back soon Chloe…with everyone." he said before he walked out. Chloe sighed as she looked at her stomach again and began stroking it.

When Lois and Jimmy saw Steel come down, they stood up. "Hey. Is everything alright with Chloe?" Lois asked. Steel nodded. "She'll make it through this, as long as you are there to help her." he said.

Lois and Jimmy nodded. "We won't leave her side." Jimmy said honestly. Steel smiled. "Good." He then asked the big question. "Back at Black Creek, you said that Lucas had the Key capture Green Arrow and his team. Did he say where exactly?"

"Lucas said that they are being held in a hiding place somewhere in the Southern Andes mountains. If that guy is on Lucas' payroll, then his crib must be a hell of a lot of security." Steel nodded. "Thanks Lois."

Before Steel could leave, Lois asked him to wait. "What is it, Lois?" "Before you go off and bust out your super friends, could you ask Clark to come here and see Chloe?" Steel hesitated himself.

He didn't know how long his plan to free his remaining friends would take, and Clark's extended absence is sure to arouse some suspicion from Lois. He came up with the best answer for her question.

"Unfortunately, when I saw Clark after he got back from his trip, he had come down with a bad cold. He insisted that he wanted to help find you, but I told him it was best for him to stay at home and get some rest." Lois and Jimmy were surprised about that.

"It would not be a wise idea for Clark to come visit Chloe while he is ill, especially since Chloe is pregnant. Nor for anyone to visit him; his cold is very bad." he advised. Lois and Jimmy, though surprised, nodded. "Poor CK; hope he gets back on his feet soon." Jimmy replied.

"I'm sure Smallville will be better in no time. Though his timing is a bit lousy." she said. Steel smiled a bit. "Take care. After I find Green Arrow and the team, we'll come up with a plan to taken down Lucas…and Darkseid."

"I hope so, for the sake of Earth." Lois replied as Steel super sped out. As he moved super fast, Steel thought out his plan.

First he will talk to Talia again, and question her about her true objectives. Then he will go back to Black Creek to see if there was anything still there that needed to be destroyed.

After that, he'll put his full focus on finding Bart and AC, and then contact Batman and Green Lantern. With all of them together, Steel is sure to get the drop on the Key and rescue his remaining friends.

He just hopes that nothing will go wrong on the way.

To be continued.


	38. Chapter 37 Plans

Hey. The next arc of my story begins now! So sorry for the delay. Enjoy!

I also hope you forgive the short length; it's a basically a setup chapter.

The Future of Justice

Chapter 37: Plans

Luthor Mansion:

Talia had finished her exercises for today. She was in workout clothes and hardly out of breath. The men she sparred with lay on the floor, badly bruised and aching.

"That is enough for today." Talia said as she had sent her partners away to tend to their injuries. She liked to keep in shape; especially incase of a surprise assault. She didn't think she'd had one today though.

"Talia Ducard." a voice said loudly a few minutes later. Talia turned in surprise to see Steel. "Who are you?" He did not smile. "Call me Steel. I have few things to talk to you about."

Talia didn't seem intimidated by her new visitor as she approached him. "Such as?" she asked business like. "About Black Creek…and Chloe Sullivan." he said most unhappily. Talia looked surprised.

"What are you talking about?" Talia could feel anger coming from his next words. "Don't lie! I know about your involvement with Lucas Luthor; about the items you had Luthorcorp ship out."

Talia continued to be surprised by all the accusations he made. "But most of all, I know about your 3 top projects…all of which could mean the end of Earth as we know it!" The young woman took a moment to regain herself.

"I'm afraid you have made a mistake. I don't know anything about…" But Steel interrupted her. "You knew what Lucas was doing to Chloe Sullivan at Black Creek, didn't you? You knew what were in those crates you sent to him too, right?"

Talia didn't look it, but she was very confused. Still, she sounded firm and certain. "I knew that Chloe Sullivan had disappeared a week ago, but I had nothing to do with it or knew where she was." Steel felt certain that she was not being honest.

"And I certainly knew what were in those crates." "Which were?" Steel asked. Talia narrowed her eyes. "Research supplies. Extra equipment, replacement parts, etc. Nothing remotely harmless." Steel frowned. "Then why were the items blacked out on the shipment list?" he asked.

"How do you know that?" Talia asked, stunned again. "Not important. Why were they blacked out?" Steel asked again. "They were like that when I received the list; I was told by Luthorcorp's buyer of the contents and felt they had to do it for security reasons. Even I was not allowed to see them."

"But the location was left there?" Talia nodded. "They felt assured that I would keep the list out of anyone else's eyes besides my own." Talia then remembered her talk with Clark regarding the list and decided to keep that to herself.

"Wrong, Talia. I know you're lying. You are helping your father prepare Project Genesis, and you aided Lucas with Projects Eve and Apocalypse." he said accusingly. This time, Talia showed her shock and confusion. And Steel noticed.

"Where did you hear all that?" Steel shook his head. "That's my business. All I want to know from you is _why_ you are helping bring the world to an end!" he nearly shouted. For a long moment, Talia kept quiet.

'_How is it possible that this man knows about my father and Project Genesis? And what are those other projects he spoke of?' _Finally, Talia responded. "What do you know about Chloe and Black Creek?"

Steel remained angry as he spoke. "I know that Lucas plans to use Chloe's baby to create a new human race after the whole planet is wiped clean, with assistance from _your_ Dr. Groll! And that place is being used to breed an army of…what you sent to Lucas." he said ominously.

Talia's mouth fell open. "Those crates were filled with infant versions of those monstrosities, and Lucas is going to unleash them soon…all because of _you_!"

The Luthorcorp CEO didn't know what to think as she answered. "I assure you, I was completely unaware of any of this." "Stop lying!" he shouted. Talia shook her head.

"Listen, I truly did not know about Projects Eve and Apocalypse and what they both involved." Steel stared hard at Talia for a moment before responding. "But you _did_ know about Project Genesis?" he asked.

Talia looked down for a second. "It's not what you think. "Genesis" is a way to change Earth for the better, and more importantly…for humanity itself." "Not from what I've read on the file about Project Genesis." Steel said.

"What did that file say?" Talia asked, again stunned. "Ask Lucas." Steel answered before he super sped away. Alone and very confused, Talia sat down at her desk.

Just then, her phone rang. "Hello?" she said as she picked up. _"Hello Talia. I need to speak with you about an important matter."_ Talia straightened as she heard her father.

"I have sent the meteor rocks to you. They'll reach Nepal within a few hours." she said. _"Good. But that is not why I am calling." _Talia then seemed more confused. "What is it then, father?" Her father could sense the uncertainty in Talia's voice.

"_Are you alright, my daughter? You sound…distressed."_ Talia tried to shake it off. "Nothing is wrong." _"Talia, I know you well enough to know something is troubling you. Tell me what it is."_ Talia smiled.

"I appreciate it. We can talk about it, but first tell me your reason for calling me." _"I am making preparations for a "personal" project…one I think you might like." _Talia then heard him coughing on the other line.

"Father, are you alright?" she asked in concern. After a moment, the coughing stopped. _"I'm fine Talia. As I was saying, I am working on a plan for the future of my empire, and you." _Talia sat there, stunned.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

With some help from Lois, Chloe got out of that suit Lucas had put on her and wore a loose gown. "Thanks Lois." Chloe said as she and Lois came out of the bedroom. "Hey, what are cousins for?" Lois replied.

They chuckled as Lois helped Chloe to the couch. "How are you feeling?" Jimmy asked as he came into the room with some eggs and toast for Chloe. His fiancé smiled. "I'm fine. And thanks for the meal; I'm starving!" she said, sounding famished.

Though she said she was feeling fine, Chloe couldn't feel any less than the opposite. After learning that Brainiac was responsible for the baby, she felt very uneasy and worried.

She worried what would happen when the baby was born, and what it would look like. _'Will it look like a mini Brainiac? Will it become just as dangerous as him?'_ Clark assured her that he'll find an answer to this. Until then, she would have to hang in there.

"Hey Chloe?" Jimmy said several minutes later, getting her attention. "Yeah?" his loved woman asked after finishing her meal. "Do you know what you are going to do with the baby?" he asked hesitantly.

Chloe paused and thought hard. Her first thought was to get an abortion, considering how the baby came to be. But she knew it was too late; the child could be born anytime.

Adoption was certainly out of the question. She refused to endanger an innocent couple with Brainiac's offspring. Until Clark could talk to Jor-El about this, Chloe would be left with only one option…and she was not too crazy about that one either.

"I know this is going to sound insane…but I don't think I have any other choice." she said finally. "Which is what?" Lois asked. Chloe took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm going to keep the baby, and raise it myself."

Lois and Jimmy stared openmouthed at her. "Chloe, that baby isn't even human! That "Eve" file said so!" Jimmy replied rationally. "We don't know how this happened to you, but you can bet it can't be for a good reason. You have to do something!" Lois said.

"What do you guys want me to do?!" Chloe asked hysterically. "We need to take you to someone who would know how to handle this." Jimmy said. "Like whom?" Chloe asked. Lois and Jimmy looked lost.

"We don't know…someone." Lois said after a moment of awkward silence. "Look, I know this baby isn't going to be normal, but it's still _my_ baby! If anyone has a say about it's future, it's me!" Chloe retorted.

Lois and Jimmy chose not to reply. "I know you guys mean well, and I appreciate it, but this is a responsibility I have to handle myself." Chloe said, trying to calm herself. Lois and Jimmy then held each of Chloe's hands.

"You don't have to handle it alone. We'll be there to help every step of the way." Lois said softly. "Yeah, if you insist on keeping the baby…I'd be happy to raise it as my own after we get married." Jimmy replied compassionately. Chloe smiled at them.

"Really?" she asked. "Definitely." they both said. Chloe didn't know what to say to them; she was so happy that they would do this with her. "But, should we let the rest of the family know? Mainly the General, Lucy, and your dad and brother?" Lois asked.

Chloe's smile faltered from the question. "Maybe not until the baby is born, and probably after the wedding." she said after a moment. Hearing Chloe mentioning the wedding sprung an idea in Jimmy's mind, but would not mention it to her...not yet.

Just then, Chloe gasped and held her stomach. "Are you okay?" Jimmy asked cautiously. Chloe nodded while smiling. "Yeah, it's just that…it kicked me."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Outskirts of Montana:

As soon as Steel returned to Black Creek, he found the place totally demolished. There was nothing left, just like there was nothing left of Isis. After some looking around, Steel found no remains of any equipment or anything…life threatening.

'_Looks like Lucas got everything out and covered his tracks. But how could he get all that stuff out of this place and reduce it to rubble within a short time?'_ Steel figured they all had to be moved to another location.

Steel would deal with Lucas and his plans later. Right now his friends were a higher priority. He then began planning out on how he was going to find Bart and AC.

He planned to look for Bart first, because he would the harder one to find. With his super speed, Bart could hide anywhere in the world. And if he were to be discovered, he would zoom to another hiding place within seconds.

But where would Bart hide after he received Oliver's warning? Steel figured Bart would try to hide somewhere familiar, someplace he knew. Steel then remembered that Bart had spent some time in Mexico on one of his missions with Oliver.

'_Maybe Bart hid somewhere in Mexico. I know he likes the burritos there.'_ Steel then decided to fly to Mexico to look for Bart. But before he could take off he saw something flying incredibly fast in the distance.

With his enhanced vision, he saw that it was _not_ a something…but a someone. He was awed to see it was a stunningly beautiful, black haired woman wearing a uniform of some sort.

'_Could she be a Kryptonian visiting from Rokyn? If so, why is she here?'_ Whatever the reason, he had to make sure she wouldn't cause any trouble. So instead of going to Mexico, Steel flew after the unknown woman.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

"So everything is all set up, Jarvis?" Lucas asked his partner. Jarvis nodded. "Yes, and everything on my end is proceeding smoothly." Lucas seemed satisfied. "Now I need you to do me a favor."

"What favor?" Jarvis asked. Lucas showed her a photo of Chloe. "I want you to find this woman and bring her to me. I lost her earlier, but I think you can get her back." Jarvis nodded. "I think I can arrange that."

To be continued.


	39. Chapter 38 Princess

Hi. I hope certain fans will enjoy this chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 38: Princess

High above Gateway City:

Clark followed the mystery woman through the sky until she stopped and floated above a big city. He saw her gaze at it with curiosity. Clark wondered who she was and why she was here. He then decided to get her attention as he took off his shades.

"Um…excuse me?" he asked tentatively. The woman turned around with surprise. Up close, Clark could see exactly how beautiful she was. Along with the long black hair, she had pretty blue eyes and the face of an angel.

Her outfit looked like an American flag; it had blue and stars in the lower area with a golden belt, red and white boots, and her upper portion was red and strapless which had a golden symbol that almost looked liked a bird; it resembled two W's on top of one another.

She also wore a golden tiara with a ruby star embedded in it, and had a set of silver bracelets on each of her wrists. She carried a glowing, golden rope of some sort at her waist.

The woman stared at Clark with shock and confusion. For a long moment, she didn't say anything. Clark had a hard time speaking too; he had never seen a more gorgeous woman in his whole life, even Lana wasn't this breathtaking.

"Who are you?" she finally asked. Even her voice was lovely. After clearing his throat, Clark introduced himself. "I'm Kal-El…but you can call me Clark." he said rather nervously. The woman continued to stare at him.

"How are you able to fly?" the woman inquired. Now Clark looked confused. "The same way you are able to…because of the yellow sun. " The woman flew a little closer to Clark, her confusion growing.

"My powers do not come from the sun." she answered. Clark narrowed his eyes. "Then…you are_ not_ a Kryptonian?" The woman widened her eyes in surprise.

"No. I am Diana, Princess of the Amazons of Themyscira." she said formally. Clark definitely looked shocked now. "Princess?" he asked, bewildered. Diana nodded. "Yes." Clark's head began to flood with new questions.

"Why did you follow me?" she asked. "I wanted to know who you were. It's not everyday I see a flying woman on this planet." he said politely. Diana nodded. "Nor have I seen a mortal man fly." They continued to float high up in the air, looking at one another.

"Were you blessed by Apollo, God of the Sun?" she asked curiously. Clark was startled. "Apollo? No; the sun itself powers me." Diana looked surprised too. "Why would you think a Greek god granted me my powers?" Clark ask.

"Because my abilities come from the gods themselves." Diana stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Clark continued to be surprised by the princess. "One god and five goddesses from Mount Olympus granted me my powers since I was given life as a child. Everyday I thank them for their gifts." she explained.

Clark still had a hard time digesting this. "Wait a minute. You are saying that the gods of Greek mythology…are real?" Diana nodded once more. "As real as you and I." The Kryptonian found this impossible to believe.

"Where did you say you are from?" he asked hesitantly. "From Themyscira, home of the Amazons, a race of warrior women. It is an island concealed from the rest of the world. My mother, Queen Hippolyta, rules over them." Diana said.

Clark then recalled something from a while back. "There was a newspaper article years ago with a headline that said "Themyscirian Queen Addresses the Vatican." Was it talking about your mother?" Clark asked. Diana nodded once more.

"Yes. My mother did speak to the Pope regarding some "religious" affairs. Fortunately, it went smoothly." Clark nodded. "Why are you all the way out here, away from home?"

"I was chosen to be an ambassador to your world by my mother. It is my mission to stop wars and destruction caused by misguiding men and bring peace and love to all. It may take time, but by the gods it shall be done." she said resolutely.

Clark listened with interest and smiled. "Sounds like a worthy goal." Diana nodded. "It is indeed." "How were you chosen?" Clark asked. Diana looked a little sad. "My mother organized a contest to see which Amazon would become champion and leave for "Man's World". I wanted to enter, but she had forbidden me to."

"Why?" Clark asked. "She cared too much for me and didn't want me to leave home. So I participated in disguise. With the gift's I have been given, and with the years of training in combat by my fellow sisters, I bested them all and won."

Diana's story fascinated Clark as he listened. "When I won, I finally revealed myself to my mother." "She must not have been happy to see it was you." Clark guessed. Diana shook her head.

"No, she wasn't. But as I have won the contest, she had no choice but to make me your world's ambassador and had me set off." Clark then floated right in front of Diana. "I'm sure she misses you." Diana looked into Clark's eyes and smiled.

"And I her." They remained silent for few moments, and curious thought went through Clark's mind. "You said the Amazons only consisted of women, right?" "Yes, that is correct." Clark scratched his head.

"Just wondering…am I right to say that you had no father?" Diana shook he head once more. "No, I did not." "Then how could you be born without one?" Diana then looked away in the distance. Clark guessed she was staring in the direction of her home.

"Like all the other Amazons, including my mother, I was given life by Gaea, Mother of Earth. I was born from a statue of clay made by my mother, who longed for a child. And as I previously stated, I was then given powers by seven immortals from Mount Olympus."

This revelation really surprised Clark. "Unbelievable. What powers were you given?" he asked curiously. Diana, starting to like Clark, explained.

"My obvious powers of flight and speed were given to me by Hermes, the messenger god. I was granted beauty and a caring heart by the goddess of love, Aphrodite. Athena blessed me with wisdom, while Demeter gave me superhuman strength."

Clark was amazed by the list of powers she was given. He was starting to think that Diana was a powerful as him. "Hestia has given me the power to open the hearts of others to see the truth. And lastly, Artemis has bestowed upon me with the eyes of a hunter and unity with animals." That last ability stumped Clark.

"Unity with animals?" he asked. "It means I can communicate with them. Even the most savage beast can be calmed by my words." Clark was stunned a lot by the time she was finished. Diana then gave him a curious look of her own.

"I have spoken a lot about myself, but you have yet to explain _your_ beginnings. To start, what is a "Kryptonian"?" Clark chuckled. "It's a long story. I think you'll find my origins are just as fantastic as yours." he said as he began telling his life story to Diana.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Gotham City:

While Clark and Diana were getting to know one another, another man and woman were having a chat many miles away in Gotham. In a fancy restaurant, at a table on a balcony overlooking the city, sat Talia Ducard and multibillionaire Bruce Wayne

It was late afternoon/early evening in Gotham, considering the different time zones. Bruce wore a nice tuxedo while Talia had a dark dress with high heels. She had arrived in Gotham to discuss business with Bruce. He arranged for them to meet at the restaurant they were dining.

"Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Wayne." she said politely as she sat down. Bruce smiled. "How can I turn down a chance to talk with a smart, lovely lady like yourself?" he asked flirtatiously. Talia smiled.

"Shall we have something to drink before we talk?" she asked. Bruce nodded as he snapped his fingers. A moment later, a waiter who was nearby came to their table. "Waiter. Bring us some of your finest wine please." "Of course, Mr. Wayne."

The waiter then walked off to get the wine. "It doesn't have to be _the_ finest wine here, Mr. Wayne." Talia said. "I usually ask for the finest wine when I dine with a _real_ woman." he replied smoothly. Talia shook her head.

"So what I've heard was true." When Bruce gave her a questioning look, she clarified it. "That you are a _real_ womanizer." Bruce gave a hearty, but nervous laugh. "I wouldn't put it that way, Ms. Ducard." "But you aren't denying it?" Talia inquired.

Before Bruce could answer, the waiter returned with the wine. "Here you are, Mr. Wayne: our finest red wine." he said as he placed two glasses on the table, one for Talia and one for Bruce. He then uncorked the bottle and red liquid poured into the glasses.

"Thank you." Bruce said. The waiter smiled. "Your welcome. Let me know when you are ready to order." he said before walking away. After taking sip, Talia seemed to like it.

"Not bad; the wine from my home land has more kick in it, but this is fine." she said. Bruce smiled. "We both seem to have good taste." Bruce said. After drinking from their glasses a bit, Bruce acted more serious.

"So Ms. Ducard, what was it you wanted to discuss with me?" Bruce asked. After putting down her glass, Talia became more serious too. "Call me Talia, Mr. Wayne." she stated. Taken aback, Bruce smiled a bit. "Sure, if you call me Bruce." he answered back.

Talia actually chuckled lightly before becoming serious again. "Very well, Bruce. I want to discuss a project that I have been planning with my father." Bruce straightened himself in his seat. "What kind of project?" he asked.

"It is one that could possible help change the world for the better, and my father and I would like for you to take part in it." she proposed. Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why me?"

"Let's just say that you are the "perfect" man for the job." "Because of my wealth and power?" he asked. Talia only smiled. "That, and maybe more…" Bruce suddenly felt suspicious. "You still never told me about the exact nature of this project."

"Of course, I'll begin by saying that it involves…" but she could not say what this mystery project involved, for at that moment the whole restaurant became filled with a gas that made everyone cough and collapse within seconds, including Bruce and Talia.

Coughing, Bruce began to lose focus as he struggled to remain conscious. He could see that Talia had fallen as well. Before passing out, Bruce glimpsed several men dressed in black wielding long daggers…

"Mr. Wayne, can you hear me? Are you alright?" a voice asked as Bruce opened his eyes. Shaking his head, he slowly got up. "What happened?" he asked, still trying to wake up.

"There was an attack and everyone was out cold, including you." said the waiter who served wine earlier. Bruce then remembered what he saw before he blacked out. He looked around, but nothing seemed broken or no one was missing. Except for…

"Where is Ms. Ducard?" Bruce asked. The waiter shook his head. "I'm sorry sir; she was gone when I woke up. Those men that barged in must've taken her." After getting up, Bruce felt fully awake and alert.

He then spotted something beside him, underneath the table where he and Talia sat. It was one of the daggers that those men had. _'Whoever those guys were, they were sloppy.'_

When no one was looking, Bruce slipped the dagger inside his jacket and walked out. He wasn't going to let them get away with what happened here…or with Talia.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Gateway City:

When Clark had finished explaining his story, Diana was just as amazed of him as he was of her. "By the gods, it seems you were chosen by fate to fulfill a great destiny…just like I was." she said in astonishment. Clark didn't look comfortable by that.

"I wouldn't put it that way." Diana looked confused. "Do you not believe in fate?" she asked. Clark looked away. "Not really. I believe that people can make their own destinies, control their own fates."

Diana smiled. "I respect that. You have your beliefs, and I have mine. I will not tell you any different." Clark smiled back. "Thanks." Diana then placed a hand on his shoulder. "And yet, you chose to follow the path your father left for you."

Clark laughed a bit. "Only after I grew up and stopped running from my heritage." They then began to descend towards the city below them. Clark and Diana landed on a tall building overlooking the rest of the city.

"Gateway City." Diana simply said as they gazed. "What brings you to this place?" Clark asked. Diana looked serious then as she turned to Clark. "This city has the largest collection of Greek Artifacts outside of Greece. I learned that one of those artifacts was stolen recently."

"What was stolen?" Clark asked. "a gauntlet that was rumored to have belonged to Heracles. According to myth, whoever possessed it would gain his god-like strength." Diana said. Clark then started to worry. "It _is_ just a rumor, right?"

The look on Diana's face said the contrary. "I'm afraid not. In the wrong hands, it could be dangerous. I must find whoever stole it and retrieve it before…AGH!" Diana was then attacked from behind and was being strangled.

"Diana!" Clark yelled. He was about to help, but Diana managed to throw off her attacker but fell onto one knee. "Are you alright?" Clark asked as he helped her up. "Yes. Thanks for your assistance." When they got a good look, they saw a woman who resembled strongly like a cheetah. She was grinning maliciously.

To be continued.


	40. Chapter 39 Invitation

Hey. Here's another exciting chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 39: Invitation

Gateway City:

Clark and Diana stared at the cheetah-like creature in complete surprise. "Who, or what are you?" Clark asked. "And why did you attack me?" Diana asked. The human cheetah continued to grin.

"Call me "Cheetah". And I wanted this." she said as she held up the golden rope Diana had earlier. Diana was shocked at this. "This rope seems to be very special. It will look marvelous in my collection." Cheetah said greedily.

"That doesn't belong to you." Clark said angrily. "Give it back and there won't be any further trouble." Diana said rationally. Cheetah shook her furry head. "I don't think so!" she said as she turned, ran, and did an impossible jump to another building.

Cheetah turned around to see how angry those two were…except that she only saw Diana. "Like I said." said Clark, who was right in front of a very shocked Cheetah. "That _doesn't_ belong to you."

He then slapped Cheetah onto the floor, causing her to drop the rope. Diana flew in to join him as he picked up the rope. "Thank you." Diana said as Clark gave the rope back to her. "No problem." he said with a smile. Cheetah slowly got back up, massaging her jaw.

"Damn you!" Cheetah as she jumped at Clark with every intention of tearing him to pieces. However, Diana kicked her away before she got too close. "You didn't have to do that." Clark said, surprised. Diana smiled. "I wanted to repay you."

Diana then focused on Cheetah. "Tell me, why did you try to take my lasso?" she asked. Cheetah, now bleeding from the lip, sneered at the princess. "I'm not telling you anything!"

She then came after Diana, but Diana blocked her attack and punched her in the face. Cheetah landed on her feet and went after Diana again. But this time, she jumped on her, grabbed her head, and threw her backwards.

Caught off guard, Diana hit the floor hard. "That's enough!" Clark yelled as he was about to take part in the fight. But to his surprise, Diana held up a hand.

"No! I can handle her myself." she then got up again and charged at Cheetah. Clark, out of respect, stayed out of the fight. With surprising reflexes, Cheetah dodged and blocked most of Diana's punches and kicks…but not all of them.

Diana caught Cheetah's fist and punched her hard. Cheetah did a back flip, landed on her feet again, and instantly jumped on Diana, pinning her down. Diana then kicked her off.

The instant Cheetah had landed again, Diana kicked her in the stomach, followed up with a powerful uppercut. Cheetah recoiled from those blows, but quickly recovered. As Diana attempted to punch her again, Cheetah nimbly side stepped and grabbed Diana's arm, throwing her down once more on her back.

Diana was surprised at how strong and agile her new opponent was, but she was not going to give up. As Cheetah was about to slammed her fists on Diana's back, the powerful princess caught them and threw her into the wall at the edge of the building.

They both got back up and ran for each other and locked hands. They pushed and grunted. After a brief stalemate, Cheetah began to lose ground. Diana had decided to use more of her gifted strength to overpower her enemy.

As hard as she struggled, Cheetah was quickly realizing that she was losing to the black haired beauty. Diana forced Cheetah to fall on her knees. "Will you submit to defeat?" Diana asked. Cheetah looked up at her opponent with animosity.

"Never!" She then wrapped her legs around Diana's and forced her to fall. Cheetah was rubbing her hands as she leapt back on her feet. She had never faced anyone so strong. Diana got back up a moment later, starting to feel peeved.

"Very well." In a split second, she flew at Cheetah with both fists in Cheetah's face. The powerful blow knocked Diana's opponent onto the floor. Before she could get up once more, Diana held out her lasso and threw it at Cheetah.

It wrapped itself completely around Cheetah; she couldn't break free no matter how hard she tried. Diana held her grip on the lasso. "Now you can't escape." Diana said triumphantly.

Clark was extremely impressed with Diana's strength and fighting skills. "You're amazing." he said in awe as he approached. Diana smiled from her new friend's praise. "I was both gifted and trained well, remember." she said.

They both stared at the now captured Cheetah. She still struggled to free herself, but to no avail. "Now that you are bound to my Lasso of Truth, you have no choice but to speak the absolute truth!" Diana stated, which surprised both Clark and Cheetah.

"Tell me why you tried to steal my lasso." she commanded. The rope glowed a little brighter and Cheetah had a strained look on her face. "I was fascinated by it. I wanted it for my private collection of artifacts."

Her answer intrigued the super pair, especially Diana. "I've heard that the Gauntlet of Heracles was stolen. Were _you_ the one that took it?" she asked. Cheetah could not fight back the lasso's power as she answered.

"Yes, it was me." Diana and Clark were surprised even more. "Where is it now?" Diana questioned. "After I stole it, I gave it to Lucas Luthor. It is in his possession now." Cheetah answered forcibly.

Clark then remembered what he read about from Lois' flash drive. "Why would this "Lucas Luthor" want that gauntlet? Why would you steal it for him?" Diana asked. "I love Lucas; I'd do anything for him. He needs the gauntlet for Project Apocalypse."

Clark looked grim while Diana seemed horrorstruck. Apparently the project's name really made her worry. "What is this "project" you speak of? What is it's goal?" But at that moment, Cheetah passed out from exhaustion.

Diana looked frustrated, but relaxed a bit when Clark spoke. "I know what she is talking about." he said. Diana turned to him in surprise. "You know Lucas Luthor and this project Cheetah mentioned?" she asked. Clark nodded.

"That and more." "Then please, tell me what you know. I must retrieve that gauntlet and return it to it's rightful place." Diana said. Clark put his hands on her shoulders. "I will, but first take her to the authorities. I'll wait up here." he suggested, motioning at Cheetah. Diana looked confused.

"Why not accompany me? You helped me to subdue her." she pointed out. Clark looked embarrassed. "I'm not ready to be in the spotlight just yet." Still confused, Diana took the unconscious Cheetah and took her to some police officers she saw below.

A little while later, Diana returned to Clark. "Cheetah is in custody. They said they'll "lock her up so tight she won't be able to claw her way out." I do hope that is true, considering how formidable she was."

"I hope so too." Clark said. Diana looked at Clark curiously. "Why is it that you do not wish for others to see you? It couldn't cause you any trouble." Clark looked away.

"I'm used to doing good deeds when I know people don't know I'm even there. But being heroic in public…that's a whole other story." Diana put her hands on Clark's shoulders.

"You shouldn't be afraid to show the world who you are and what you can do. From all the accomplishment's you've told me about, I'm surprised you still wish to hide yourself." Clark chuckled. "My cousin, Kara, suggested the same thing."

Diana smiled warmly. "Perhaps she is right. I truly believe you can be an inspiration to others…and I hope you have the courage to take that step someday." she said. Clark smiled back.

"Thanks Diana. Has anyone told you that you are a real "Wonder Woman"?" Diana laughed. "Not until just now." They were very close to one another now and gazed into each other's eyes. Diana moved her hands onto Clark's chest while Clark rested his hands on Diana's shoulders.

They found themselves leaning their faces closer. They started to close their eyes. But just before their lips connected, Clark suddenly pushed himself gently away. Diana was surprised by what had almost happened, and by Clark's recent action.

"What is wrong Clark?" she asked. Clark looked ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry, but I can't…we can't." He turned away. He felt guilty about something, but he didn't know what it could be. "Something's telling me that this isn't right." he said after a moment.

Diana thought for a moment, but then it became clear to her what was going on. "You have feelings for another. And they are stronger towards her than to me." she said. Clark turned back, surprised. "How can you know that?" he asked, stunned.

Diana smiled again. "I can feel emotions from others around me. When we were close just now and you pushed me away, you felt something strong. You are in love with someone else…but you seem hesitant to face those feelings."

Clark, shocked by Diana's insight, looked sad. "I was in love, but things didn't work out between us. She left me before I could see her again. I don't know where she is now or how she is doing." he answered, thinking of Lana.

Diana continued to smile. "What I felt from you didn't feel like it has to do with a past love. It was strong and fresh, yet forcibly contained." She held his shoulder. "Are you in love with this new woman and have chosen not to acknowledge it yourself?"

Clark was caught off guard by that question. He really never thought about love since Lana left; he had been too busy playing the hero with Kara and friends. It had been so long since he actually "loved" another girl.

But then again, maybe there was a certain someone. Now that Clark had thought about it, he did start to grow close to another woman in particular from all the time they've had together.

Although they had been more close friends than anything else, it always comforted Clark to be with that woman who always had been there when he needed her. He started to admire how strong and determined she was and, more than that, never once gave up on something she believed in…or someone.

Diana noticed the growing smile on Clark's face as he thought. "Why the smile?" she asked. Coming out of his daydreaming, Clark smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I was just thinking." "About _her_?" Diana asked shrewdly.

Clark didn't feel like divulging his private thoughts to anyone else, not even Diana. But then he instantly came up with an idea. "About how helpful you can be." Diana raised an eyebrow. "In what way?"

Clark then told her about how some of his friends were being held captive on Lucas' orders, and that Clark was planning to put together his own team to find and free them.

"I was about to look for Bart, but then I got sidetracked when I spotted you flying away. After getting to know you and seeing you in action, I think you would make a powerful member of my team. Would you like to be a part of it?" he asked.

Diana was surprised by the offer. The idea intrigued her, but she didn't know if she can trust the other members Clark had chosen. "Do you trust the people you have in mind for this team?" she asked. Clark nodded. "With me life." he said resolutely.

That comforted her considerably. "I will have to think about it." she said. Diana looked away as she thought, and Clark waited. Diana knew that she had only just met Clark today, but she knew that he could be trusted.

She also enjoyed his company and would love the chance to fight side by side with him. Diana then looked back at Clark. "One more question. What do you plan to do when your friends have been rescued?" she asked.

Clark was serious about his answer. "Once everyone is together, we will put a stop to Lucas and his plans. We'll fight to protect Earth from what he plans to do to it." Diana found his answer satisfactory.

"In that case, I'll gladly join your team." Diana said with a smile. Clark smiled back from her response. "Thank you, Diana." The princess nodded. "Thank you for befriending me. And besides, if I help you I can find the missing gauntlet."

Clark nodded. "So, when do you plan to get this team together?" she asked. Clark sighed. "I'll decide on a time and place once I've made contact with the others. How can I reach you when the time comes?" he asked.

"I currently take residence in Boston with a kind woman named Julia Kapatelis. She lives in one of the houses in the Beacon Hill district. You can reach me there when it is time. When she picks up the phone, ask for "Diana Prince." That is my alias here." she said.

Clark nodded and smiled. "Thanks again. I promise to fill you in once the everyone is together." he said. "I will hold you to your word…Kal." she said in a playful smile. Clark chuckled a bit.

"I have to go and find Bart and the others now. See you soon." Clark said as he flew off. Diana smiled as she began to fly back to her adopted home. _'Good luck, Kal. And I hope one day you will tell _her_ how you feel.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Caverns beneath Wayne Manor:

In a big, dark cave beneath his mansion, Bruce Wayne studied the dagger he found after the sneak attack at the restaurant. He was wearing his Batman costume (with the mask off) and had been pondering it for a while now. "Any progress, sir?" asked a kindly old man who appeared from a nearby staircase.

He brought a tray with a cup of tea on it. Bruce turned to him and took the tea. "I think so, Alfred. This is not a dagger we usually see in this country." "Then the men that took Ms. Ducard came from overseas?" he asked. Bruce nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

Bruce took another sip of the tea. "Thanks for the tea; it really helps me think." he said appreciatively. Alfred smiled and nodded. "Your very welcome, Master Bruce." Alfred then went back up the staircase and vanished.

Bruce then put the dagger down and thought about Talia. He hoped that she was alright. But if those men had hurt her, he would make sure they'd regret it. Just as he was about to pour himself more tea a few minutes later, he heard footsteps.

"Forgot something, Alfred?" he asked. But the voice he heard the answer from was not Alfred. "I'm afraid not, Bruce Wayne." Bruce instantly got out of his chair and turned around.

From the shadows of the cave came a tall man wearing a black cloak. He was accompanied by a large, muscular bald man. He looked intimidating. Bruce was shocked and angered to find a few total strangers in his private sanctuary.

"Who the hell are you? How did you find this place?!" he shouted. The cloaked man approached Bruce. "Relax; I'm not here as your enemy. Rather, I've come for your assistance."

Bruce was surprised even more. "For what, pal?!" The muscled man snarled. "Don't insult my master, infidel!" The cloaked man raised his arm. "Be calm Ubu." At once, the muscled man was silent.

Bruce was ready for a fight if it came down to it. The cloaked man prepared to lower his hood. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the one whose name speaks in mere whispers of fear. I am…Ra's al Ghul." he said as he removed his hood.

Ra's looked like a man in his late 50's and had short black hair, with a few streaks of grey. He had a large bald area near his forehead and a few patches of long hair grew from each side of his chin.

Bruce felt that just by looking at him, Ra's was not someone to take on lightly. "the "Demon's Head"?" Bruce said in surprise. "You have heard of me, I take it." Ra's said. "I thought it was just a myth." Bruce said.

"Sometime's myth and reality coincide." Ra's replied. He then started coughing a lot. Ubu ran to help him. Bruce looked concerned. "Are you alright?" he asked. Ra's recovered a moment later.

"No need to ask; I am in good health." he said weakly. Bruce wasn't convinced, but put it aside for now. "You said you've come for my help. Help with what?" Bruce asked. Ra's then took a paper from his cloak and gave it to Bruce.

"Recently, my daughter was kidnapped by a band of rouge assassins. I believe you know her." Bruce looked at the paper and was surprised yet again. It was a photograph of Ra's and his daughter, who Bruce recognized as…

"Talia?" Ra's nodded. "Given your reputation as Batman, I believe that you would have an idea as to where she might have been taken." Still feeling suspicious, he decided to give his info.

He showed the dagger to Ra's. "One of the men that took Talia dropped this at the restaurant we were at. Judging by the design of the blade, it can only have come from a village in Nepal." Ra's seemed impressed.

"Good work, Detective. There might be hope to save my daughter after all. Let us be off to Nepal at once." Bruce didn't seem eager to leave just yet. "Before we go anywhere, tell me how you found out my little secret." he demanded.

Ra's remained impassive as he answered. "I have done my own research, Detective. Batman uses a lot of diverse equipment that can only be funded and supplied by Wayne Enterprises. Since Bruce Wayne is in charge of the company, and after learning the tragedy of his parent's demise, only he could have the motive to be Batman."

Bruce smirked as he slipped on his mask. "Oh you're good, Ra's." Ra's smiled back as he marched out of the cave with Ubu close behind. Bruce walked right behind them both as they headed out of the cave.

As they walked, Bruce had a strong gut feeling that there is more going on than meets the eye. _'Whatever is going on, I have to be cautious around this guy. And Talia…if she really is the daughter of the Demon's Head, then whoever took her must have a grudge against her father.'_

Whatever Batman was about to endure, he would be prepared for to deal with it if it meant rescuing Talia.

To be continued.


	41. Chapter 40 Search

Hi. Time for more of my story. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 40: Search

Mexico:

Clark hovered high over Mexico; he didn't want to be noticed by the locals. He floated and used his super hearing to try to zero in on Bart's voice. He heard a lot of Mexicans and a little Spanish, and their accents were a little heavy.

But none of them sounded remotely like the little speedster. So Clark tried to use his X-ray vision to scan every building and shelter in the country. He flew slowly so that he wouldn't miss anything, or anyone.

After several minutes, however, Bart was no where to be found. Clark was disappointed that his friend wasn't where he thought he would be. But he refused to give up; he would search the whole planet for Bart if he had to.

Becoming more determined, Clark flew back to the U.S. He will go through every city, every town, every possible place to find the elusive boy who Clark considered to be his little brother.

'_Wherever you are Bart, I won't stop until I find you and bring you back.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Sky over Nepal:

A plane was beginning to reach the country of Nepal, which was cold and full of snow and mountains. As he looked out the window, Batman felt that finding and rescuing Talia will not be easy. Especially if he suspected…

"We are now flying over Nepal, master." said Ubu as he flew the plane. Ra's nodded. "Very good, Ubu. Find a suitable place to land so we can begin our search." he instructed. Ra's then turned to Batman.

"I'm glad you decided to aid me, Detective. I appreciate it more than I can say." he said respectfully. Batman only nodded curtly. "We'll find your daughter." he said solemnly. Ra's nodded back.

After a while, Batman asked a question he pondered about during the flight. "So why the "Ducard" alias?" Ra's smiled a bit. "I didn't want Talia's connection with me exposed. There are some who are aware of my empire and oppose it for their own reasons." Batman thought there was good reason, from what he learned about it.

"If they learn that Talia is the daughter of "The Demon's Head", she might be targeted for assassination. I refused to let that happen. After I lost my wife, Talia became the only family I had left. So before she set off to replace Lucas Luthor as CEO of his company, I gave her the Ducard name, and to refer to her father as "Henri"."

"The people that took her saw through your ruse." Batman said. Ra's lowered his head slightly and closed his eyes. "Whoever was behind this, I clearly underestimated that person." Ra's said sadly. There was a short silence following that.

"So having her in charge of Luthorcorp was _your_ idea?" Batman guessed. Ra's looked at Batman again. "I thought it would be an ideal way for Talia to connect to the outside world, and possibly to expand our borders." he answered.

This made Batman even more wary. "Do you have any ideas who would want to kidnap Talia?" he asked. Ra's didn't answer right away. "I have my suspicions. Though until we find Talia, they can't be confirmed."

Before another word was spoken, they heard a loud explosion nearby, and it rocked the plane. Batman and Ra's fell out of their seats. Batman got back up and went over to Ra's, but the old man was already up.

"Are you hurt?" Batman asked. Ra's shook his head. "I'm alright." he then turned to Ubu. "What just happened?" he asked loudly. "Master, we were almost hit by a missile! Someone is trying to shoot us down!" the big man yelled as another explosion shook the aircraft.

After recovering from the blow, Ubu tried to move away from where the missiles were being fired from. Then Batman saw smoke outside, and when he looked out the window, he saw that they were in trouble; one of the engines was on fire.

"We have to get out of the plane! The engine on the right is about to go!" Alarmed, Ra's and Ubu ran to get parachutes. When Batman got his on, he opened the side door.

"You go first; I'll follow!" Batman said as the others approached. Ra's didn't seem to agree. "Sorry Detective, but this is _my_ plane…and _I _decides who goes!" He then nodded to Ubu, who instantly pushed Batman out of the plane.

Surprised as he was, Batman had no time to just free fall. He opened up his parachute a few moments later and began to descend much more slowly, while at the same time see if Ra's and Ubu managed to get off as well.

Unfortunately, Batman saw another missile zoom past him…and hit the plane. The plane blew to pieces in a fiery frenzy. Batman was shocked to see this happen. He didn't know if Ra's and his right hand man got off in time.

He looked around the sky to see other men in parachutes, but he could not see any. He hung his head for a moment; Talia will not be happy about her father's death. But Batman then regained his focus and tried to find the source of the enemy fire.

At the foot of a nearby mountain, he saw a giant missile launcher and a several men in cloaks. Batman then disengaged the parachute and used the electro pulses in his suit to stiffen his cape into a glider.

He then glided toward the cloaked attackers at great speed. The men saw him approaching and began firing machine guns at him, but Batman was too dodging too fast to hit. About a minute later, Batman had landed hard on one of the men.

He rolled to sustain less injuries from the fall. He quickly got on his feet and threw a bat shaped object at one of other men, which caused him to drop the weapon. This gave Batman the time he needed to move in and punch his lights out.

He jumped, dodged, and knocked out the other three men that tried to kill him. Batman breathed easier as he stood above the unconscious men. He then kneeled down and studied one of them carefully.

Batman searched the man's pockets until he pulled out something long and sharp; a dagger, just like the one he recovered from the men that took Talia. There was no doubt about it; he was on the right track to find Talia.

The dark knight then heard a loud crash as Ra's' plane finally hit the ground nearby, a burning heap of junk. Lamenting for a brief moment, Batman took out a pair of binoculars and looked around the snow covered area.

It was hard to see with the recent snow fall and wind. But soon, Batman saw a cave entrance several yards away. He then moved quickly through the cold and reached the cave without running into anymore opposition.

He took a breather once he was inside before he moved on. Batman noticed that the deeper he went into the mountain, the warmer it got. The tunnel seemed to stretch as he walked down it's dark path.

After several minutes, Batman found a source of light. He stopped a few feet from the exit, hugged the cave wall, and looked. He was stunned to see a gigantic cavern filled with steaming hot springs.

There were several of these springs around the place, and filled it with comforting warmth. But something about the steam made Batman feel a little uneasy somehow; he felt that this place didn't feel…_normal._

As he continued to look, he saw more of those cloaked men working around the hot springs, carrying weapons and supplies. And there, near the other side of the cavern, Batman saw a figure tied up on a pillar of rock: Talia.

Batman could see that she was unharmed, but she seemed unconscious since her head was low and her eyes were closed. He also saw that her clothes had changed; she wore a sexy white dress that left much of her body exposed.

The mastermind that kidnapped her obviously wanted "his way" with her, and Batman wasn't going to allow it to continue. Because of the thick steam, Batman could move through without being seen…and take out anyone who got too close.

Batman moved from the cave entrance into a thick cloud of steam and waited. Two guards were approaching his position, and when they were close enough, Batman bashed their heads together.

He grinned as he saw them fall to the ground, out cold. He repeated the process with the next few springs, with a few punches, kicks, and an occasional head butt to take clear the way.

Finally, Batman knocked out the last guard and proceeded to the unconscious Talia. He took out a small knife from his belt and cut the rope that bounded her to the pillar.

As he held her up, she began to stir. When she fully opened her eyes, she was startled to see who it was. "You're…Batman?" she asked in a shocked whisper. The caped crusader nodded. "I see you've heard about me."

Before Talia could reply, another voice was heard in the cavern. "Get your hands off my prize, intruder!" Batman and Talia turned around to see a man in dark clothes and wore a metal mask that resembled a monster. His voice was muffled by the mask. He pointed at Talia.

"She is mine! Leave now or die!" he demanded. Talia looked afraid, but Batman wasn't intimidated at the very least. "I've seen clowns that looked scarier than you." Without looking, motioned for Talia to move.

"Stay back and take cover. I'll handle this scum." he said confidently. Impressed by his courage, Talia moved behind the pillar and stayed there. Batman and the masked man stood ready for the fight.

Batman attacks first with a fast punch, but the masked man blocks it easily before grabbing it and throwing his opponent into another pillar. He was surprised to be tossed that easily. The masked man waited for Batman to get back up.

"Is that the best you can do?" the man taunted. Sneering, Batman returned to his feet and studied him more carefully. He could tell that his enemy was not going to be so easy to beat. "I haven't warmed up yet."

Batman then ran at the masked man. But instead of attacking him, Batman faked pulling a punch and instead slid and kicked his opponent's legs, causing him to fall. As the man flipped back up, Batman punched him in the stomach, then in the jaw, and a good kick to the chest.

The man fell down again, but when he got up again, he recovered a little slower this time. He started to pant. "That's the spirit! Fight me at your best!" he said excitedly as he jumped up and tried to kick Batman from above.

Batman flipped backwards in time to dodge, but the man launched an unexpected uppercut that connected, causing Batman to recoil. The man punched Batman a few times in the stomach and the head, and Talia looked more fearful as she watched.

However, Batman caught the next blow and started squeezing the man's hand, causing him to yell in pain. Batman was smiling, to the man and Talia's surprise. "Playtime is over."

He then pulled the man down as Batman slammed his knee into his gut, causing his opponent to gasp in pain. While he was trying to recover, Batman landed several more blows to the man's head, each one harder than the last.

For the final blow, Batman clasped his hands together and slammed the man hard at his skull, causing him to fall hard. As he hit the floor, his mask fell off. Batman was momentarily surprised that the man he had been fighting…was Ra's al Ghul.

Behind the pillar, Talia was astonished and impressed with Batman's fight. He was as strong as she heard he was. Ubu then appeared from the shadows to help up his master. "Are you hurt badly, master?" he asked.

Ra's coughed a bit, but he stopped shortly afterwards. "I have been through worse than that. Thank you." He then turned to Batman, who looked very stone faced. "You truly impress me, Detective. You are as strong as you are smart and resourceful." Ra's complimented as he smiled. Talia rejoined him at that moment.

Batman now understood what was going on. "You set me up from the beginning. You had your own daughter kidnapped to get me to come here to your little domain, didn't you?" he accused. Ra's nodded as he held an arm around his daughter.

"Correct, Detective. It was a perfect operation I had planned not too long ago. But perhaps…you _already_ suspected something before hand?" Ra's inquired. Batman remained angered as he stared.

"A lot of things came into my mind. First of all, the time between Talia's kidnapping and your arrival at my cave was too short to be a mere coincidence. You had already reached Gotham City and practically at my mansion gates when Talia was taken."

Ra's continued to smile as he listened. "Also, you planned to reach this cave and prepare for me; that's why you had me pushed off your plane just moments before it was blown to pieces. Those moments were all you and Ubu needed to jump out to safety before the plane crashed."

Talia seemed to continually be impressed by Batman as Ra's was as she began to smile more. "Finally, one of the men that shot the plane had a dagger just like the one I showed you before. That would've convinced anybody else that something fishy wasn't going on, but do you know what really gave you away?" he asked.

"Tell me." Ra's said. "The way you talked during our fight. Though you tried to beat me to a pulp, I noticed that you were actually wanting to see me at the best of my fighting ability. You complimented me similarly back in my cave." Batman concluded.

"So you knew it was me the whole fight?" Batman nodded. "Pretty much." Ra's then clapped suddenly with what appeared to be a friendly smile. "It appears then, that I have chosen well. What do _you_ think, my daughter?" he asked Talia.

Talia looked at Batman with admiration in her eyes and, unless Batman was imagining it…affection. "He is everything I hoped he would be…and more." she said fondly. Ra's seemed pleased by her answer. "I'm glad you think so."

Batman was confused now. "What are you talking about? And what was the point of all this? Why _me_?" Ra's then looked back at Batman with pride and spoke.

"The point, Detective, was to see if you were worthy to become the heir to my vast empire and takeover when I die. And also because…" he paused as he motioned for his daughter to approach Batman. "My daughter _loves_ you."

Of all the revelations Batman had expected to hear from the Demon's Head, that last one wasn't one of them. He stood in shock as Talia looked up at him and smiled warmly. "It is true…Beloved. I have never met a man like you. I don't believe I can be happier with anyone else but you."

Batman was stunned so much he didn't know what to think. Sure, he dated a lot of hot women, but none of them had said that they "loved" him. Though, Batman had to admit that none of those flimsy women knew his "other self" and admired it. Talia seemed to really love him, and he couldn't help but feel the same way.

He looked back at Ra's. "So Detective, how do you feel about Talia?" Ra's asked. Batman looked back at Talia and decided to take off his mask, for Talia to look at his face. Instinctively, he put a hand on Talia's cheek and stroked it.

"I'll admit, I haven't had much luck with women. But when I spent time with her at the restaurant, I sort of felt something…something I've never felt for anyone else before." Talia seemed to glow from his words.

Batman hesitated before he said his next few words. "I think…I _do_ love her." Talia instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, and he instinctively returned the gesture. Ra's seemed very pleased.

Batman and Talia broke apart and Batman faced Ra's. And suddenly, Batman talked businesslike again. "So this is what Talia talked about when she met me? This "project" she spoke of?" he asked. To his surprise, Ra's shook his head.

"No; the project she spoke of is entirely different. And I think I can pass it's secrets to no one but you, Detective. That is, if you choose to become my heir and marry my daughter."

Batman was stunned. He looked from Ra's to Talia and back. He had heard what Ra's empire was like and he particularly think he can trust him. On the other hand, Talia was the first woman to truly love him for who he really was, and that has never before happened to him.

But then he remembered something prior to his meeting with Talia in Gotham and decided that if there was a time to discover what was going on, it was now. He looked at Talia again and took a deep breath.

Once he exhaled, he gave his answer. "Ra's al Ghul…I accept." Talia hugged Batman with pure joy. Ra's, extremely pleased by this, walked up and patted him on the shoulder.

"You made the right decision, Bruce Wayne." Batman then asked Ra's what was special project Talia mentioned before. Ra's seemed more serious as he answered:

"Project Genesis."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Keystone City:

Clark landed on a roof of a tall building in a place called Keystone City. He sat down, completely down. He searched for Bart for a long while in all of the U.S. and he still couldn't find a trace of him.

'_Maybe Bart is hiding somewhere outside the states and Mexico. But he moves so fast, he could leave from his hiding place and find another one in an instant. How can I possibly find him?!'_ he thought as he felt increasingly frustrated.

He wished he had talked to Bart more about his family and hometown, then it might be easier to find him. But Clark knew very little about Bart's past since he met him years ago.

Bart told Clark that he got his powers in an accident and when his parent's began to treat him differently, he ran away and has been on the road ever since. Clark berated himself for not learning more about his fast friend.

"Bart…where the hell are you?" Clark asked softly. He then started to use his super hearing again, just to hear any news since he began his search. It wasn't long before he heard two people a few floors below him talking in excitement.

"_Did you read the headlines today? It's him again! He stopped another heist in a blink of an eye!" "I know; he's so fast that nobody could see him! All that anyone has seen is the trail of red that always follows behind him!"_

Clark instantly jumped to his feet as he continued to listen, hard. _"I'm telling you, this "Flash" character is amazing! Ever since he started appearing in Central City recently, he' s done all sorts of good deeds!" _

"_Absolutely! But I just wish he could stop for an interview once in a while. Everyone would like to know about him, not just the things he does! I'll say this though; this guy is a genuine hero and I would be honored to get his autograph!"_

Clark heard all he needed to as he flew towards Central City…and Bart.

To be continued.


	42. Chapter 41 Flash

Hey! I don't know if any of you liked how I had Batman behave around Talia, but that will be explained…among other things. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 41: Flash

Cave in Nepal:

Bruce looked curiously at Ra's as he held Talia with one arm around her. "Project Genesis?" he asked. Ra's nodded. "It involves using a combination of meteor rocks and the various Lazarus pits across the world to bring "purity" to it."

He raised his eyebrows. "_Lazarus_ pits?" Ra's then pointed to the various hot springs in the cave. "Those are not springs of hot water, Detective. They are actually pools of natural chemicals with rejuvenating properties. If a dying person should plunge into one of these pits, that person would be healthy and whole once again. Of course, it is the opposite for someone in good health." he added grimly.

This fact astounded the dark knight. "Everything is now in place for "Genesis" to begin." Ra's smiled as he continued. "As we speak, various pits across the world are being mixed with meteor rocks recovered from the two Smallville meteor showers."

He began to walk around Bruce as he explained. "I had my men gather them, and Talia just shipped the remaining rocks to this location. This will create a new, unique poison. When drunk, it will instantly kill anyone who has been "infected" by the meteor rocks." Bruce then interrupted him, his eyes narrowed.

"So your plan is just to kill all those "meteor freaks"? They have only appeared in Smallville, Kansas." Ra's shook his head. "That is _part_ of my plan. These meteor infected have no place in a "perfect world". But it is not just them." he said, smiling again.

"I am hearing rumors that other super human-like beings are emerging in different parts of the world. The poison will be strong enough to kill them all, no matter how powerful they may be."

Bruce didn't say anything, but didn't like the sound of what he was hearing. "And just how are you going to make them all drink your poison?" Talia answered his time, though she seemed strangely uncomfortable as she spoke.

"Once a large enough amount of the poison is made, we will disguise them as a new power drink to the public through Luthorcorp and it's influence to other businesses across the planet. It will be designed to affect only those with super abilities; harmless to anyone else. We plan to ship it all out in a few weeks."

Bruce stared at her in shock. He definitely felt this was not a good thing. "If I may ask: Why have them killed? Wouldn't it be possible to just modify the poison into something that can erase their powers and render them all normal?" he asked.

Ra's looked at his new heir with a stern face. "It might, but that is not my aim. There is a chance that their lost abilities might somehow reemerge, if not from them then through their offspring." He shook his head.

"No; this is the only method that I believe is most effective. Earth should be a planet with a perfect race of people…and those who are anything but will be "removed", leaving this world pure. Thus, a new "Genesis" for Earth. That is my vision, Detective."

Ra's then fell silent and allowed Bruce to allow those ideas to sink in. He noticed that his future son-in-law looked troubled. "I can see that the extremes of my project might overwhelm you. Therefore, I will let you think it over." "Think what over?" Bruce asked.

"You just agreed to be my heir and marry my daughter, but I feel your hesitation to embrace the life you are about to become a part of. You will rest here tonight and think it over, carefully. In the morning, if you still wish to proceed, then I will perform the marriage ceremony. Is that alright with you, Detective?"

Bruce looked from the still uncomfortable looking Talia, then back at her father. "Sounds fair." Ra's then nodded. "Very well. I will show you to where you will be staying." he said as he motioned for Bruce and Talia to follow him.

They walked up a staircase on the far cave wall that Bruce hadn't noticed before. While they walked, and as he looked at Talia, he felt a twinge of guilt and fear. He felt guilty because he hadn't exactly been honest earlier.

And he felt fear because of what Ra's al Ghul planned for Earth's people. It didn't feel right, not one bit. _'Talia's father may be brilliant, but he's also out of his mind! He believes that killing "special" people will make Earth a better place?!'_

Talia, meanwhile, also felt the same way. She hated that she lied to her "beloved", and what she learned from her father about Genesis. Talia was loyal to her father, but she was secretly appalled by his means to bring about a new Earth.

But she was also angry at her father for lying to her earlier about the goal of Genesis. He may have claimed "she shouldn't know until she was ready to know", but it was still wrong and insensitive.

A little while later, they arrived at a small but reasonably comfy room. It resembled a room for an Arabian king. Bruce had to admit that when it came to the décor, Ra's had good taste.

"This is where you rest for tonight. You will find the bed most comfortable. If you need anything, just let me know. Goodnight, Detective." As he and Ubu were about to leave, Ra's noticed that Talia didn't move.

"Talia, are you coming?" he asked. His daughter smiled and nodded. "I will remain here for a few minutes, father. Then I shall join you." she said. Ra's nodded. "Do not take too long; you've had a trying day." he and his servant then disappeared down the stairs.

Talia then entered the room, closing the door behind her. This surprised Bruce. "You have something to say, Talia?" he asked. She nodded. "I want to personally apologize for everything my father put you through." Bruce nodded.

"I accept your apology. But I have a hard time understanding how he thinks." "I know what you mean." Talia replied. Bruce looked shrewdly at her. "You don't approve of his plans?" To his actual surprise, Talia shook her head.

"I do wish to make a perfect world, but I do not want to do it my father's way. But before I go into that, I want to apologize to you for something else." she said, looking sad. Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"For what?" Talia then looked at him in the eyes. "For toying with your emotions. All those things I said about how in love I am with you, about how I couldn't be happier with anyone else…it was all a ruse my father ordered me to go through."

And to her surprise, Bruce didn't look angry. "So he wanted me to believe that you love me to get me to become his heir?" he asked. Talia hesitated before nodding. "It was a cruel thing to do, but my loyalty to my father prevented me from arguing about it."

Bruce smirked, to Talia's continuing surprise. "Aren't you offended?!" she asked in shock. He sat down on the bed, and she joined him a second later. "Truth is, I lied about my feelings for you too." This really sent Talia for a loop.

"You lied?!" Bruce nodded. "I thought it would be the only way to convince your father to spill the beans about what he is up to. Though," he then looked guilty. "I am sorry that hurt your feelings." Talia took a moment to digest this.

"My feelings are not easily hurt, Bruce. But it seems we do have something in common after all: We are both excellent liars." They both laughed. After calming down, Bruce looked at her curiously.

"You said your father lied to you about Genesis." Talia nodded. "He first told me it involved creating a new serum to boost people's immunity systems to the point where no disease or virus could affect them."

"How did you find out the truth?" Bruce asked. "Before I left to meet you in Gotham, my father called me and told me about his plan to secure my future and his empire, which of course included you."

She hesitated, then went on. "I questioned him about Genesis, and he confessed the truth about it. I concealed my horror and hurt from what he told me; instead I understood his reasons and that I would cooperate with him, being his loyal daughter."

Bruce nodded. "I had a feeling something was going on with you and your father, just like I was told." Talia looked at him questionably. "What do you mean?" He smiled. "Before I left my mansion to meet you in Gotham, I got a phone call…

_Flashback:_

_It was about 10 minutes before Bruce would leave to meet Talia Ducard at the fancy restaurant she suggested to meet. He was standing in front of a tall mirror, putting on his bow tie._

_Alfred walked in and observed. "How do I look, Alfred?" Bruce asked. Alfred looked up and down, and up again. "I'd say you look like a regular, how do you say it, "knock out", Master Bruce." Bruce chuckled._

_Just then, the phone on Bruce's bedside table rang. "Could you get that, Alfred? I'm still having trouble with my bow tie." "Yes, Master Bruce." Alfred said as he over to the phone and picked it up._

"_Wayne residence." Bruce then waited to hear who it was. _'Probably another solicitor about a new timeshare or something.'_ But he was soon proven wrong. "Yes, Master Wayne is right here. I'll put him on." _

_Alfred then held out the receiver, with his hand covering the part where you speak into it. "Who is it?" Bruce asked. Alfred looked concerned. "He claims to be a friend of yours, sir. Do you know a…Clark Kent?"_

_Bruce went wide-eyed for a moment before he acted more serious. "I'll take that call." Alfred nodded as he handed the receiver to Bruce and walked out. "It's been a while since I heard from you." he said to his old friend._

"Glad to hear you're doing alright yourself, Bruce." _Bruce didn't laugh, but smiled. "If you're calling me so long after our little adventure, you must have something big to discuss." _

"It is big, Bruce. You are about to leave to meet Talia Ducard, right?" _Bruce narrowed his eyes in surprise. "How do you know that?"_ "I just overheard her talking to her father on the phone at the Luthor Mansion. You need to be careful; I think both Talia and her father are dangerous."

_Bruce sensed the urgency in Clark's voice and became concerned as well. "What do you know about them?" he asked. _"Just be on your guard around her, Bruce. I have good reason to believe that Talia can't be trusted."

_Bruce's confusion grew as he listened. _"If by some chance you meet her father, find out what he plans to do and put a stop to it. It might help if you can gain his trust." _Bruce smirked. "I can tell you know more than you area telling me, Clark. I can hear it in your voice." Bruce replied._

"You said are a detective, aren't you?" _Bruce laughed. "Have it your way then. If anything like that happens, I'll be ready." _"That's good. And Bruce?"_ "Yes?" _

"Expect to get another call from me soon. Good luck." _"Thanks. You too." he said as he hung up the phone. Bruce didn't know what Clark was talking about, but he'll take his advice._

"_Excuse me, sir. The car is ready." Alfred said as he walked back in. Bruce nodded. "Thank you, Alfred." He then followed his butler to the car._

_End Flashback:_

Talia was stunned. "You were told about me and my father before we met that night?" she asked. Bruce nodded. "It turned out that my tipster was right." "And who was it?" she asked.

"The person's voice was muffled; I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman, let alone who it was." Bruce lied. He didn't tell Talia that it was someone he knew, so to protect him he made that up.

"You've never planned to join my father from the start." Talia assumed. "Not for an instant." Bruce answered. Talia then looked away, looking very confused.

"I suppose you are planning to tell your father about my deception?" Bruce asked. He didn't want to hurt Talia, but she chose to side with her father, he will subdue her to keep her from warning Ra's. But to his astonishment, she looked distressed.

"I…I don't know what to do. I don't want to betray my father, but I also don't want all those people to die." To her surprise, Bruce put an arm around her back, touching the tip of her dress.

"Maybe you are not as dangerous as my tipster thought you were." he finally said. Talia looked stunned and didn't reply. After a long while, she got up. "Goodnight, Bruce." she simply said as she walked out and closed the door.

Bruce smiled. He then put on his mask and touched one of his ears with a finger. He then heard some sounds of footsteps. A few minutes later, he heard the voice of Talia once more, and she was talking to her father. Bruce was pleased that his transmitter on Talia's dress was working.

"_What kept you, Talia? Surely you need your rest?"_ Ra's said. Talia took a moment to reply. _"Father, I feel bad about lying about my affections for him. Was it really necessary?" "It is if we are to include him in our empire's future."_

Talia then sounded angrier. _"It was still wrong! I don't him to marry someone who isn't honest with him!" _Ra's then seemed to see through his daughter. _"Are you actually starting to develop affection towards him?" _Talia then sounded like she started to cry.

"_I'm not worthy of a man like him! He shouldn't be forced to go through this emotional manipulation! He is strong, intelligent, and honorable; I can tell by talking with him!" _Ra's then suddenly sounded firm.

"_What exactly did you say to him? Did you confess our ruse to him?" _Talia hesitated for a brief moment. Bruce continued to listen; if Talia decided to spill the beans now, he would have to make his move. But Talia's reply stopped him.

"_Of course not, father. The last thing I want is to betray you." _she said in a convincing voice. Bruce then heard a loud shuffling sound; he guess Ra's must be hugging his daughter.

"_I am glad to hear it. Now, I suggest you turn in." "I will, but first I want to continue our discussion about what Lucas Luthor is up to."_ As Bruce continued to listen in he thought that maybe Talia wasn't as dangerous as her father after all…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Central City:

Clark had just arrived in Central City, which was practically a next door neighbor to Keystone City. It seemed like an average city, nothing there that looked out of the ordinary. Clark landed on a building and moved out of sight from anyone who might look up.

From there, he scanned the place for any sign of this "Flash" those two guys were talking about. Clark hoped that it was Bart, who probably decided to change his codename. But this puzzled Clark.

Why would Bart, who was supposed to be hiding from the Key, venture out into the open again? Would he think that the new codename might throw the Key off? He doubted it, considering that "Impulse" and "Flash" both have super speed and leave a streak of red behind.

Whatever the reason, Clark wanted to reach Bart before the Key did. He used his enhanced vision to see anything red and moving unnaturally fast. For several minutes, he didn't see anything like that.

However, just then he heard an explosion a few blocks from where he was, and when he turned he saw a building was on fire and was on the verge of collapsing. With his super hearing, Clark heard several people screaming for help.

Without hesitation, Clark put on his shades and flew towards the building to save the trapped civilians. But just as he landed and was about to smash through the blocked entrance to get in, he heard a screeching noise and turned just in time to see a red blur move past him and seemed to go right through the rubble, into the building.

Clark was speechless; during those very few seconds, he caught sight of the "Flash"…and it was definitely _not_ Bart. For one thing, he was a full grown man. He wore red costume with lightning bolts on his wrists, legs, and around his waist.

He also had two lightning bolts attached to both sides of his mask. Even the symbol on his chest was a bolt of lightning. Clark was stunned even more as he saw the new speedster simply running through the rubble like it wasn't even there.

But before he had time to digest this shocking revelation, Flash came out with a man and two children. They thanked him as they left for safety. It was then that he finally noticed Clark…or rather, Steel. He was surprised to find another costumed person around.

Steel had expected Flash to ask him who he was, but instead… "There are lots of people still trapped inside that building, and I don't know how much longer it will stay up! Can you give me a hand, please?" he asked hurriedly, but politely.

Surprised as he was, Steel knew that questions and answers would have to wait; there were lives at stake. "Alright, let's do it." Flash was about to vibrate through again, but Clark told him to wait as he punched through, clearing the entrance.

Shocked and impressed by Steel's strength, Flash ran in with Steel right behind him. They ran up to the next floor, where they found more people trapped under rubble. "I'll get the ones trapped over there!" Steel said, pointing to a couple of fallen desks that buried three more people.

"And I'll get the rest over there!" Flash said, looking at a collapsed wall entombing five others. As they moved to free the trapped people, the building began to shake violently. "It's going to come down on top on us!!" a terrified woman shouted from the fallen wall.

"Listen, you are going to be alright. Trust me." Flash said as he vibrated his arm through the wall and pull out the woman through it. Thankfully, she was not harmed. Steel saw this and was amazed; Bart never could do that.

He then returned to his captives and lifted the desks off them like they were mere paperweights. "Just hold on!" he yelled as he grabbed all three people and blasted a whole through the wall with his heat vision.

With that, Steel flew out of the building and landed on the street. By then, ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars had started arriving. "Keep back!" Steel said as he flew back in to assist Flash.

By the time he got back, Flash had gotten all the others free. Flash looked at Steel, who smiled. "Need a hand?" Flash smiled as Steel came in and gotten hold of three of the remaining people. Flash had grabbed the other two.

"Let's move!" Flash yelled as the building shook again, much more violently than before. They both ran super fast out of the building's entrance just moments before the whole thing fell down with a crash.

Some of the civilians cried and thanked Flash from the bottom of their hearts, while the others did the same for Steel. As they thanked him, Steel felt a rush of appreciation…and he enjoyed it.

"Thank you, both of you! We would all be dead without you!" An injured black man said to them. Flash smiled and shook his hand. "I'm doing all I can. And you're very much welcome." Steel shook someone else's hand too.

"Thanks a lot! But who are you?" a young woman asked. He hesitated before answering. "Just a good Samaritan." he said; for some reason, he didn't want to tell them the codename he had picked. He would have to ponder it later.

When all was said and done, Steel had turned to talk to Flash, who was motioning for Steel to come to talk to him privately. He followed the red speedster in an alley behind an apartment building where no one could see them. "Hey, whoever you are, thank you for helping me. Seems you're quite the hero!" he said kindly when Steel was in front of him.

Steel smiled, but in a sad way. "Thanks…Flash. Same to you." Flash seemed to notice this. "What's wrong? You just saved some lives from a damaged building. You should be proud of yourself." Steel nodded. "I am proud." "Then why so glum?"

Steel sighed. "It's just that…I hoped to find a friend of mine here. He also wore red and had super speed, just like you. But I was wrong." Flash then looked curious. "You know someone else with powers similar to mine?" he asked.

His new red and blue friend nodded. "Yeah, except that he couldn't go through solid objects. He's a young teenager with brown hair and had a rather cocky attitude." he said with a chuckle. Flash then widened his eyes briefly, which Steel noticed.

"Flash, do you know anyone like that?" he asked. Flash looked unsure of what to say. "What did you say your name was?" he inquired. Steel smiled. "Call me Steel." "And what is the name of your missing friend?" Flash asked, becoming more serious.

"He goes by the codename "Impulse". If you are asking for his real name, then I can't tell you." he said firmly. Flash nodded, understanding forming in his mind. "You still never answered if you know anyone who matches Impulse's description." Steel reminded Flash.

The new hero didn't respond for a while; he seemed to be trying to decide something. After a long minute, Flash made up his mind. "Can I trust you?" Flash inquired. Steel blinked. "Yes." "And are you willing to trust me?" Flash asked. "Uh, yes." Steel said, confused. Flash then nodded. "All right then Wait here."

Flash then super sped away, leaving Steel alone in the alley. He had no idea what Flash was up to, but from the way he acted when questioned about Bart's whereabouts, he seemed…reluctant to talk.

He only waited for a few minutes before Flash came back, but he did not come alone. He brought with him another person dressed in red, but was much smaller and younger. Steel recognized him instantly, and smiled immensely.

Bart Allen smiled and laughed as he gave his old friend a brotherly hug. Flash smiled and was glad that Steel was someone Bart clearly trusted. "Welcome back, Amigo! What the hell took you so long?"

To be continued.


	43. Chapter 42 Secrets

Hi! Here we go with another great chapter. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 42: Secrets

Central City:

"So let me get this straight: Chloe is pregnant because of an A.I. from your home planet, Green Arrow and Black Canary are off the grid along with Cyborg, and Lucas is taking orders from an alien warlord hell bent on conquering Earth?" Bart asked incredulously.

"Pretty much". Clark replied. After reuniting with Bart, Flash took them back to his apartment where they could catch up safely. He revealed himself to be Barry Allen, a young man with blond hair, light blue eyes and was studying to become a police scientist.

When they arrived, Bart revealed that after Oliver had told him to hide he decided to hide out in Central City. Barry then told Clark that he was stopping a violent gang from destroying a restaurant when he first saw Bart ran by him.

Astounded that another person could use super speed just like him, Barry tracked down Bart and asked him what his story was. Bart told him what he told Clark 4 years ago when they first met. Bart then asked if he could stay with Barry for a while, and after some persuading Barry agreed to take him in.

Barry trusted Clark enough to share his identity and origins with him, just like with Bart (and vice versa). He sat across from Clark as he listened to Clark's recent accounts with Bart. Both Barry and Bart were stunned and horrified by what Clark said.

"I can't believe all this." Barry said after a moment, totally blown away from what he learned. "I don't want to believe it either Barry, but it's all true. And now it's up to me to bring us all back together and stop Darkseid."

"Well, you can definitely count me in this new posse of yours." Bart said energetically. Clark smiled. "Glad to hear it Bart." "To be honest, I was starting to get bored not being able to run around like I usually did. Can't wait to get back in the game!" All three guys laughed.

"Listen Clark, you've had a long day. Why don't you spend the night here? Then tomorrow you can continue on your mission with Bart." Barry suggested. Clark immediately refused.

"No; I don't want to intrude…" but Bart butted in. "Ah, c'mon Clark! We can bunk for the night! I missed you, man." he begged. Clark chuckled as he saw Bart make a begging face. "Alright, you win. I'll stay."

"Yes!" Bart yelled with joy. Clark smiled while Barry laughed. Just then, he looked at his watch and gasped. "Oh no! Not again!" he said as he ran super fast upstairs and came back down in a split second, to Clark and Bart's surprise.

"What's wrong Barry?" Clark asked, stunned. Barry wore a handsome suit with a brown tie. "I'm late for a date with my girlfriend, Iris West. She's an intern reporter at Picture News and she's going to kill me! Do I look alright?" he asked nervously.

"You look like a complete gentlemen." Bart said with a sly grin. Barry looked reassured. "Thanks, Bart. Hopefully she won't be too mad at me. I'll be back late tonight. Make yourself at home, Clark. Later!" Barry said as he zoomed out of the door.

Bart began laughing his head off after Barry left. Clark couldn't help but smile. "Is he always late for his dates?" Clark asked. "Oh yeah!" Bart said after his laughing fit. "He may be super fast, but when it comes to punctuality…he's not the best!"

The little speedster then noticed an odd look from Clark, a look that said he suspects something odd. "What's with the look, compadre?" Clark sat down on the couch in Barry's living room. Bart sat in a chair across from his friend.

"I can't help but notice a few things since I got here." he said, looking curious. "Like what?" Bart asked, starting to feel nervous. "First of all: The name "Barry Allen". That was a name on one of those fake IDs you had the day we met."

Bart tried to act cool. "Yeah, so?" "So you stole the name from the man that took you in." Clark stated. Bart looked slightly ashamed. "Well, I…yeah I did." he said reluctantly. Clark nodded.

"Does he know that?" Bart shook his head and held up his hands. "No! Please don't tell him!" he said frantically. Clark smiled. "I won't." Bart relaxed. "Thanks." "But that's not all." Clark said, sounding stern again.

"There's…more?" Bart asked, feeling tense once more. "You and Barry seem to have a lot of things in common. For starters, both of you have the same last name: Allen. And not only that, but you both have gotten super speed from accidents involving lightning, wear red costumes, and you both use your powers to help others."

Bart looked away and remained silent. Clark could tell Bart was definitely hiding something and he didn't want to share it. "I don't think staying with Barry was a random choice you've made." Clark said.

Bart didn't respond at once. He looked conflicted, unsure. Clark didn't press the point; he waited patiently for Bart's response. After 5 long minutes of silence, Bart rubbed his face in his face and sighed heavily.

"Clark, before I say anything…will you promise to never, _ever_ tell anyone else what I'm about to tell you?" he pleaded. Clark was startled at how serious Bart had suddenly become; he had always known him to be laid back and had no care in the world.

"No one can know; not Chloe, not Oliver, not anybody!" he said at the point of yelling. Clark motioned for Bart to calm down. "Take it easy Bart. I promise to keep whatever it is you have to say between us." he said.

Bart sighed again as he straightened himself in the chair. "Okay, here goes." he said before clearing his throat. "You're right; Barry and I do have a lot in common…but that's because of our…family history." Bart said slowly.

Clark raised an eyebrow. "_Family History_? You mean Barry is your older brother, or cousin?" Clark asked. Bart shook his head, which made Clark more confused. "Neither. Barry Allen…is my grandfather." he said, emphasizing the last word.

The young Kryptonian was not prepared for that revelation; his eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "Your…_grandfather?_" Clark asked in complete disbelief. Bart nodded.

Clark didn't know what to say for a moment. "Bart…Barry is around my age! How can he be your grandfather?!" he asked incredulously. Bart sighed again before continuing. "It'll be better if I started from the beginning."

Clark nodded as he sat there and listened. "I lied to you about my past…well, some of it." Bart paused briefly. "I didn't get my powers from some freak accident; I inherited my super speed from my dad, Don Allen, and he got his from Barry, his dad."

Bart continued, with Clark looking more and more shocked as he went on. "It all started with my grandpa marrying my grandma: Iris West." "Barry's girlfriend? _She's_ your grandmother?!" Clark asked in more disbelief.

Bart nodded again. "Surprising, huh? Anyway, back to my life's story." He paused again before continuing. "It turned out that Iris is really from the future; from the late 30th Century to be exact. She got sent here as an infant and was raised by the West family."

As hard as it was for him to believe any of this, Clark continued to listen. "I don't know why she was sent to this century, but her parents had to have a good reason. Well, sometime after Barry marries her, Iris discovered a letter from her birth parents, telling her everything. It sent her for a loop; least that's what my dad said." Bart said.

"Iris is from the future?" Clark asked, still being overwhelmed by what he was hearing. "Yeah, and that's exactly where she returned one day…with Barry." "Why did they leave this century?" Clark asked.

"Iris wanted to return to the world she was born in and try to adapt. Thanks to support from Barry, she was happy there. Barry left because he felt like retiring as the Flash; you know, live a quiet life with my grandma. They both got there with a time treadmill Barry created to go there." Bart said with a smile.

Clark nodded as Bart resumed. "About a month later, Iris had given birth to twins: Don, and his sister, Dawn. They both got Barry's super speed and, when they were older, became heroes themselves: The Tornado Twins." Bart said proudly.

Clark couldn't help but smile at Bart's praise. "My dad met and fell in love with Meloni Thawne, my mom. A while after they married, they had little old me." Bart said, pointing at himself. "For the first 4 or 5 years of my life, I was just a little kid who liked cracking jokes. That is until…my powers popped up out of nowhere." Bart said.

Clark sensed that Bart was about to tell the sad part about his past. "At first I was shocked, but then I began to enjoy being the fastest kid on the block, though I didn't know where my speed had come from. See, up until I got my powers, no one in the family told me I had come from a line of speedsters."

"Couldn't Barry tell you?" Clark interrupted. Bart shook his head. "Barry died shortly after my dad and aunt were born; he died saving Earth from a deadly weapon called "The Anti-Monitor."

"What is that?" Clark asked. "It was a bomb designed to destroy all positive matter in the universe, and Barry, with his unsurpassable speed, stopped it from destroying everything. But he didn't survive." Bart said, frowning a bit.

Clark was astounded; it was hard to mourn someone that hasn't died yet. "Well, back to me. After I got my powers, my dad tried to teach me to be responsible with them, but I was too busy enjoying myself. Both mom and dad scolded me for not taking my abilities seriously, and that I should be more careful. Fed up, I ran away." Bart said.

Bart sighed once more; Clark could tell he didn't like to recall that part of his past. "To make sure they couldn't find me, I used Barry's own treadmill to come back to this time. Since then, I've lived on the streets. My life turned around after I met you, of course." Bart said as he finished.

Clark digested this new information with difficulty, like everything else Bart just said. "Then…_you_ are from the future?" Clark asked. Bart nodded. "Yeah; I've told no one about it…except you just now." he answered.

Bart finally took a breather from all the talking let Clark absorb the story of Bart's past. Clark shook his head and sighed. "That joke you told Chloe, of how you came from the future…" Bart laughed. "Yep, the part where I came from the future was true! The rest was just an attempt to flirt with her." he said.

"How come you never went back? Or why haven't your parents tried to find you?" Clark asked. Bart sighed. "I don't want to go back. I like it here, where everything I wanted is…including great friends." he said, nodding at Clark.

"My parents, nor anyone else, haven't found me because I've destroyed the treadmill; it had a temporal beacon inside, meaning it can be traced across time from the 30th Century. So I got rid of the thing so that no one could find me." Bart said firmly.

"But don't you miss your parents? They must be worried sick about you." Clark said, concerned. "I'm sure they're worried. And yeah…I kinda miss them. But I still plan on staying put, because I feel that _this_ century is where I belong." Bart replied with certainty.

Clark shook his head. He didn't think it was right for Bart to ditch his parents and not leaving them a way to find him, but that was Bart's choice…and he had no say in it. After another long silence, Clark got up.

"I'm not saying what you did was right, Bart." he started as Bart looked up at him. "But I have to admit; if you had been found and brought back home…we never would've met." Clark finished with a smile. This caused Bart to smile back.

"See; every cloud does have a silver lining! You just have to look at the right clouds." Bart said, back to his usual, funny self. Clark chuckled. "Would you like to see where you will be sleeping tonight?" Bart asked.

Clark said sure, and they both walked upstairs. As they moved, Clark found it funny that Bart, whose true past was pretty shocking, was not the first friend he encountered who wasn't from this time period.

'_Bart's from the far future…just like Brainiac 5. I wonder how he is doing back in _his_ time?'_ Clark thought as he was given the tour.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Park in Central City:

Barry and his girlfriend, Iris, were walking hand in hand down a path trough a park downtown. "Thanks for dinner, Barry. I'll over look the fact that you were late…again." she said. Barry laughed nervously.

Iris West was an attractive woman with brown hair and brown eyes. "I'm so sorry, Iris. Sometimes my work makes me lose track of time." "I'll bet." Iris said as they walked through the park path.

Neither of them noticed that a stranger was watching from behind the trees, and he his smile was not the friendly sort. "Finally…I've caught up with you, Barry Allen." The moonlight shined over the trees and as it did, a blue gem shined on the man's chest.

"Enjoy your evening…for tomorrow will be the day I will kill you!" he said as he disappeared into the night.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

El Paso, Texas:

"Goodnight, Jamie." said Alberto, Jaime's father, as Jaime himself was getting ready for bed. "Night, dad." Jamie said as he got into his pajamas. His back still felt sore as he put a loose shirt on.

It had only been a short while since he found that strange scarab in the junk yard. And after he brought it home that night, his life changed forever. On that night, he felt his back being pierced an that he was covered in some kind of armor.

He was totally freaked out at first, especially after he heard a voice inside his head; it sounded just like Bianca, his mom, but different. _"Do not be afraid, Jamie Reyes."_ Jamie looked around frantically to see if his mom was in the room, but she wasn't.

"Mom? Was that you?" Jamie asked, frightened more than he has ever been. _"Your mother is asleep. I am Khaji Da; a former servant of the Reach. I have chosen you as my new host."_ "Host?! Where did you come from?!" he asked.

"_I am the scarab you found earlier today." _Jaime stood perfectly still, like he had just been petrified. "You're…that bug?" he asked softly to not wake his parents or Milagro, his little sister.

"_My original purpose was to use a host to prepare Earth for takeover by the Reach, but my programming was altered to do the opposite. Jaime Reyes, I have chosen you to be a "protector"."_

Within that night, Jaime asked the scarab questions and it provided the answers. After that, the scarab tutored Jamie how to use the scarab's powers, even flying. Jamie quickly forgot his fear and grew accustomed to his new life. He even began to forge a friendship with the scarab.

Of course, only Brenda and Paco knew of Jamie's secret since only they knew about the scarab. Jamie didn't show it to his family because he didn't want to freak them out. He chose to keep it from his family, to protect them.

The next day, he began using the scarab's powers after school to protect innocent people from accidents, gang riots, and theft incidents. He had a close call once, but he managed to do the job without raising suspicion from anyone.

The only thing left unsettled was a name for his alter ego. And after examining the armor, and that he kind of resembled a human beetle, he came up with the super hero name…one he will exclaim the next time he save someone's life.

Jaime felt proud of how he helped those people and looked forward to doing more good in the future. Only a few things about the new responsibility discomforted him, apart from keeping his new double life a secret from his parents and sister.

The most aggravating was the pain in his back whenever he changed in and out of the armor. That was why his back was aching when he got his pajama shirt on. _"You will get use to it, Jaime."_ said the scarab, who was lying on Jaime's bed.

"Yeah, yeah I'm sure." he said as he got on his pants. As Jamie went to turn off the his lamp, he saw something strange outside, in the sky. He opened the window for a better look.

It looked like a small dark cloud was moving unnaturally fast. After getting out some binoculars, he got a closer look. "Oh my god." he said to himself.

The dark cloud he was seeing was actually an army of a dozen high tech robots flying together. They looked pretty tough, judging by the armor they all wore. "Khaji Da, there's an army of robots flying in the sky…and now they're splitting up!"

As the scarab flew onto by it's partner's shoulder, Jamie watched as the army split into three groups of four. Two groups flew in different directions, while the main group continued to move on it's present course.

"What is going on up there? Where are all those robots going?" Jaime asked. _"Let me bond with you and we shall see."_ The scarab then latched itself to Jamie once more, to Jamie's annoyance.

Seconds later, he was covered in his black and blue armor. As Jamie looked at the main group with his beetle like eyes, with the help of his companion, he saw the robots' primary orders displayed in front of him.

What he saw didn't make sense, but he knew that he wasn't going to let this happen. As the robots now disappeared from view, he knew what he had to do. "Khaji, looks like we are going to "work" late tonight." _"It would appear so."_

Jamie then flew out of the window and trailed after the main group of robots, completely intent on scrapping them before they succeed in their mission.

To be continued.


	44. Chapter 43 Protector

Hey. Here we go with another great chapter. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 43: Protector

Central City:

Clark and Bart had just finished putting on pajamas; Bart said that Barry wouldn't mind if Clark used a pair of his, since they would fit just as well. Before changing, Clark decided to wash his Steel costume since he had been in it all day.

Once he made sure it was clean and dry, Clark got into a bed in a guest room in Barry's apartment, which he shared with Bart. Bart wore some yellow and red pajamas (to no surprise to Clark). As they were getting into their beds, Bart couldn't notice that his pal looked worried.

"Why the worry face, Clark?" Clark tried to cover it up as he answered. "It's just that…I'm worried about Chloe, Lois, and Jimmy. I left them alone in Smallville. Last time I did that, they ended up getting kidnapped. What if it happens again?"

Bart merely smirked. "If you know them as well as you think, they'll probably have an escape plan worked out just in case." Clark nodded. "I hope you're right. Goodnight, Bart." he said as he pulled the covers over himself.

"'Night, amigo." Bart said as he turned off the light and fell right to sleep. As he lay there, Clark hoped that his friends would indeed have a way to remain safe until he returned. But more than that, he worried about Chloe herself.

'_I hope Chloe hasn't had any problems with her pregnancy.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Talon:

Chloe just came out of the bathroom, looking rather irritated. "Are you sure you're okay, cuz?" Lois asked as she helped Chloe to her bed. "I'm adjusting; using the bathroom excessively is one of the major pains of pregnancy." she joked.

"Better that than something really serious." Jimmy said as he walked in the bedroom with a glass of water. "Thirsty?" he asked. Chloe gladly accepted and drank. "Thanks."

Chloe then sighed as she laid on the bed. "The sooner I give birth, the better." she said. Lois and Jimmy laughed. "Anything else you need?" Jimmy asked. Chloe shook her head. "Right now, I just need some sleep; I've had a really rotten week."

Lois then climbed into bed with her and Jimmy sat in a cot he brought in. Chloe didn't want to mention it, but the baby was starting to kick a little more than before. She figured it really wants to come out as she rubbed her stomach.

'_Don't try to rush things, okay? Mommy needs her beauty sleep.' _Chloe thought as she tried to sleep. Unfortunately, they weren't asleep for even a minute when they heard a loud crashing noise.

"What the hell was that?!" Lois yelled as she and the others sprung up. "It came from downstairs." Jimmy said as he walked over to the door, but stopped as he heard lots of heavy footsteps approaching.

"I think we've got company!" he said, panicking. Without wasting time, Lois helped Chloe out of bed. "C'mon, let's get our asses moving!" she said as he walked with Chloe.

They moved to the room's fire escape window. Lois just managed to get it open as they heard their apartment door crashing down. "Hurry!" Chloe yelled. Lois and Jimmy were about to help Chloe out the window when their bedroom door smashed open.

They three of them turned and saw with horror four huge robots, each pointing a machine gun-like weapons at them. They were black and had no faces. Terrified, Jimmy and the girls didn't move. Chloe wished that Clark was back right now, but he wasn't.

"What do you tin heads want, breaking down our front door and all?!" Lois demanded. One of the robots spoke, but it sounded human. _"My creations have come for a simple purpose, Miss Lane: Your cousin."_

The three were shocked by the voice. They could tell that whoever sent the robots was speaking through one of them, and they also realized it wasn't Lucas' voice they heard. "Who are you? What do you want with me?" Chloe asked.

"_I am Jarvis Kord; Lucas Luthor's business partner. He told me that someone had rescued you from Black Creek…so I sent these wonderful machines to retrieve you." _Lois sneered.

"You're not getting her, bastard!" she yelled. "I lost my fiancé once, I'm not about to let it happen again!" Jimmy retorted. Jarvis laughed. _"I knew that you would not be so cooperative. So I thought I'd find some…leverage." _he said cryptically.

"What leverage?" Chloe asked worriedly. Two of the robots then had their chests opened, revealing a video screen in each one. They were blank at first, but then pictures appeared a few seconds later, and what they showed shocked the group, especially Chloe.

One screen showed 4 more robots pointing their weapons at a man in his late thirties with brown hair. He looked scared as hell. The other screen showed another group of 4 robots pointing at a dark haired woman resting in a bed. She seemed unaware of their presence.

Chloe was both frightened and furious at the same time; a bad combination for a mother to be. "Jarvis Kord, if you so much as touch either one of my parents, I swear I will…" But Jarvis merely chuckled.

"_You'll do what? Both your catatonic mother and your defenseless father are at my mercy; I can kill them anytime I wish. But if you come now, I'll let them live." _Chloe was caught between a rock and hard place.

If she refused to go, Jarvis will kill both of her parents instantly. If she did go, she would be a lab rat for Lucas once more. Quite frankly, she didn't want to make either one of those choices. But then again, she may not have a choice.

"What'll we do, Lois?" Jimmy asked. Lois looked at a loss; she didn't know what can be done. Chloe looked at her parents and down at her stomach, placing her hands on it. What will she choose: Her parents lives, or the freedom of her future child??

Jarvis was becoming impatient. _"I don't have all night, Miss Sullivan. Will you cooperate, or will you watch as I kill your loving parents?"_ Just as Chloe was about to make her choice, another voice was heard…one that no one had heard before.

"Has anyone told you that it's not nice to threaten a person's family?" said a young boy's voice. The robots, Chloe, Jimmy, and Lois looked to see another person in the room, crossing his arms. Lois gasped in horror; it was someone wearing black and blue armor, the same armor that took control of her sister a while back.

'_Oh God…not again!'_ Lois thought. If the scarab had indeed taken another host, then things had gone from bad to worse. Though she was scared of the scarab's return, she couldn't help but notice how _normal_ the new host's voice sounded.

Chloe knew what the armor was from Clark's account of it, and was shocked that the scarab had bonded with someone else. Like Lois, she heard what the new host said and was very surprised that he sounded normal, not the cold machine like voice it had when it took control of Lucy (from what Clark told her).

Jimmy was just plain shocked about the whole thing. _"I don't know who you are, but this is none of your business! Leave now or you will die!" _Jarvis said nastily. The new figure merely smiled as he uncrossed his arms. "I'm not going anywhere…and neither is Chloe Sullivan." he said defiantly.

Chloe was shocked even more that the scarab's new host knew her name, as were Lois and Jimmy. Jarvis was out of patience at this point. _"Fine…you've just dug up your own grave. Kill him."_ He instructed as the robots fired their weapons at the new scarab host.

But the new comer had protected himself with a blue energy barrier around him. None of the robot's shots could get through. When they had stopped, the armored boy dropped the barrier and changed his hands into blasters.

"Now it's _my_ turn!" he yelled as he jumped over the robots with surprising agility and fried two robots with one blast each. When he landed he quickly changed his blasters into energy blades and stabbed the other two robots in the chest, right on the monitors.

The robots began shorting out as energy poured from the blades into the machines themselves. The power was too much, and seconds later both robots collapsed…defeated.

The new hero smiled as his work was done. "Looks like your problems have been scrapped." he said proudly. His smile dropped as he saw the three people he just saved; they stared wide-eyed at him.

"Uh…don't I get a thanks, at least?" he asked confusedly. Chloe was the first one to speak. "Oh, uh…thanks." she said, still blown away by the whole scene. The hero smiled. "No problem." Lois then stepped up.

"Who are you, blue boy?" she asked suspiciously. The boy looked annoyed. "Not "_Blue Boy_", that's for sure. Call me…Blue Beetle." he said firmly. Before anything else was said, Jimmy screamed as he fell to the floor; he had just been hit by a laser.

"Jimmy!!" Chloe and Lois shouted as he fell. Shocked, the others turned to see that one of the robots Blue Beetle had shot was still barely operating and decided to zap Jimmy. Blue Beetle fired his blaster again to finish off the tin can and went over to Jimmy, along with the ladies.

Jimmy was hit in the chest, and it looked bad. "Oh my god, Jimmy! Jimmy!!" Chloe yelled as she held her fiancé; Jimmy barely moaned and his wound was bleeding and smoking. Lois was shocked that this had happened.

"Is he alive?" Blue Beetle asked as he leaned down to look at Jimmy's injury. "Barely. We have to get him to the hospital now!" Chloe shouted as she tried to help up Jimmy, but it only caused him pain, so they laid him on the bed. Lois then felt his pulse. "Not good; his pulse is weakening."

Blue Beetle then studied Jimmy carefully. "It's not just that; that laser hit him in a spot very close to his heart. His life signs are fading fast; he might not make it to the hospital." he said in alarm. Chloe and Lois stared at him.

"How do you know all that?" Chloe asked. "The scanners in my suit showed me that. He doesn't have much time ." he said grimly. Chloe shook her head. She could heal Jimmy, but she didn't want to show her powers in front of Lois.

Although, given the circumstances, she may have no choice but to expose her meteor powers to save the man she loved. Before she could say or do anything else, Lois butted in.

"Why are we talking about hospitals, Chloe? _You_ can save Jimmy!" Chloe and Blue Beetle looked at Lois, surprised. "What…what are you talking about Lois?" Chloe asked, sounding confused.

Lois shook her head. "Look, I know you have healing powers, so just shut up and heal him already!" she said impatiently. Though surprised that her cousin knew about her healing abilities, Chloe went on ahead and placed her hands over Jimmy's wound and got to work.

Her hands glowed brightly as the wound started to close up. Jimmy moaned and gasped as he could feel his injury being repaired. Blue Beetle watched the scene with amazement. According to his scanners, Jimmy's damaged parts were being fixed up rapidly.

Moments later, the burning wound was gone; Jimmy's chest looked as good as new. Jimmy breathed easier as he sat, feeling the spot where he had been shot. Jimmy and Chloe smiled as they hugged each other tightly.

Lois and Blue Beetle smiled warmly. "Thanks, beautiful." Jimmy said softly. "Anytime." Chloe said appreciatively. Chloe then turned to Lois, confused. "Lois, how did you know that…?"

"That you can heal any wound? We can talk about that later, when we are at a much safer hiding place." Lois replied as she helped Chloe get Jimmy up. "Yeah; Jarvis is probably sending reinforcements right now." Jimmy said seriously.

"Do you guys know a good hideout where Jarvis can't find you?" Blue Beetle asked. Lois instantly thought of it. "Queen Tower in Metropolis. We are friends of Oliver Queen; I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we hide out at his place for a while."

Lois and Jimmy agreed. "Then let's get going." Jimmy said. "But what about my parents?! Jarvis still has them! He might even have…" she stopped before finishing her sentence. Chloe hated to think if Jarvis had carried out his threat of killing both of her parents. But then she noticed that Blue Beetle smiled.

"I doubt he killed them just yet." he said confidently. "What makes you so sure?" Chloe asked. "When I stabbed the two robots with the video monitors, I hacked into their signal arrays and linked up to the robots holding your parents captive. I've deactivated them, but it won't last forever."

"Then they could come back online anytime?!" Lois asked. "Not for a while. You guys head to Metropolis; I'll go and bring Chloe's parents to you. Since I hacked through those robots, I know where to find them."

When they were outside, Blue Beetle began to fly away. "Blue Beetle!" Lois called loudly. Blue Beetle looked down. "Yeah?" Lois smiled. "Thanks for the helping hand." The new hero smiled back and nodded. "It's what I do."

He then flew off into the night, as Lois got Chloe and Jimmy in her car and drove away to their next hiding place.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

"Dammit!!" Jarvis yelled as he lost contact with his precious robots. He did not expect the blue and black kid to be so well armed and so powerful. He even lost contact with those holding Chloe's parents hostage.

He smashed his fists on the console in front of him, fuming. Now he would have to send even more robots to bring back Chloe. His anger then started to be replaced by fear.

'_If I don't retrieve her soon, Darkseid is going to have my head on a platter!'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Queen Tower:

Chloe and the others arrived at Queen Tower within a short time and moved in. Luckily, Oliver had told his staff that Lois and any friends of her would welcomed so that they could enter should they need to.

They went up to the penthouse and relaxed, while looking outside for any sign of Blue Beetle or anymore of Jarvis' robot army. An hour had passed since then, and while they waited Lois explained herself.

She told Chloe of how Jimmy accidentally let slip that Chloe was meteor infected (which caused Jimmy to look slightly guilty), and that she had shared the secret with Lucy, whom she felt could be trusted with it.

Chloe was dumb struck by the time Lois was finished. "You knew my little secret all that time? Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. Lois sighed. "I wanted to wait until you felt comfortable telling me yourself. But when Jimmy got zapped, I thought "What the hell?" Are you mad?" Lois asked.

Chloe smiled. "Of course not. And I'm not mad at you either." she said, turning towards Jimmy. He smiled. "Sorry that happened." he said apologetically. Chloe shook her head. "It's history now. Let's just focus on the present."

They agreed as they Jimmy went to go get some coffee. Lois then took out her phone. "As long as we're here, I might as well give Clark and Kara a call." She knew that they would have to know about them hiding out from a madman.

"But wouldn't they both be asleep right now?" Chloe asked innocently. "Yeah, but they need to know about our uninvited guests." She then dialed Clark's home phone. Lois cursed when nobody picked and decided to leave a message.

After hanging up, she just turned her phone off. "Ah forget it; maybe one of them will call back in the morning." Lois said. "I'm sure they will." Chloe said innocently, knowing full well that neither Kryptonians were home.

"Maybe Clark will feel better in the morning." Jimmy said as he brought some coffee to Lois, who thanked him. He didn't offer any to Chloe; he didn't think it would be good for the baby.

"I hope so; I hate that he's feeling sick right now." Chloe said. Lois and Jimmy nodded. Chloe then looked out the window for anything out of the ordinary, and she stiffened. "I see something!"

Lois and Jimmy looked out of the window and did see something in the sky approaching fast. If it was more of Jarvis' robots, they would be defenseless. But their fear became relief when the incoming object came into better view.

"It's him! He's back!" Jimmy yelled at Chloe as he pointed at the incoming Blue Beetle. Chloe slowly got up and walked over to the balcony where Blue Beetle landed, with Lois and Jimmy behind her.

Blue Beetle wasn't alone though, as he carried a woman in his arms and a man got off his back, looking relieved to be back on solid ground. He smiled as he saw Chloe. "Chloe!" he said Gabe Sullivan ran to and hugged his daughter.

"Dad! Thank God you're alright!" she said as she hugged him tightly. "When I heard you disappeared all last week, I was so worried that you were…" When Gabe had let go, he noticed how "big" Chloe had gotten and looked shocked. "Wait, you're not… I mean, you can't be…?" "Pregnant? Yeah I am." she said with a embarrassed smile.

He then noticed Jimmy and Lois. "Lois?" "Hi Uncle Gabe. Long time, no see huh?" she asked as she gave him a hug. Gabe then approached Jimmy. "You must be Jimmy Olsen?" He said as he shook Jimmy's hand.

"Uh, yes I am, Mr. Sullivan." he said nervously. Gabe then looked stern. "Tell me…are you the father?" he asked bluntly. Jimmy looked speechless. "Well, I…" "Yes he is, dad. Don't give him a hard time." Chloe butted in.

Jimmy looked at Chloe confused. After that awkward moment, Chloe then turned to Blue Beetle. "Thanks again Blue Beetle. How's my mom?" she asked. "Other than the fact that she's catatonic, she's fine."

They all walked in the penthouse and Blue Beetle lay Moira on the couch. Once everyone was settled, Gabe had some things to say. "First, thanks for saving me and Moira, Blue Beetle. But more importantly, thanks for saving my daughter, niece, and Jimmy." Blue Beetle nodded. "No problem, Mr. Sullivan."

Gabe then turned to Chloe. "Now Chloe, do you think you can explain what the hell is going on here? Why did a bunch of killer robots hold me and your mother hostage? And…are you and Jimmy married already? Last time I checked, you two were merely engaged. I can't imagine you two having a baby before marriage." he said.

Chloe and Jimmy looked unsure, along with Lois. "I think I should know too, since I did bust up the bad guy's plans." Blue Beetle said. Sighing, Chloe looked straight at her dad.

She would have to tell her dad and Blue Beetle the whole Lucas Luthor/Jarvis Kord situation and that their whole planet is in danger. But she would not tell them the truth about the baby; she lied to her dad that the baby was Jimmy's because it was a much better explanation.

"Okay, just brace yourselves: It's not a pretty tale."

To be continued.


	45. Chapter 44 Sabotage

Hey people! Time for some more action! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 44: Sabotage

Oliver's Apartment:

When Chloe finished explaining the situation, her dad and Blue Beetle felt that they had stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire. Gabe sat on a chair, baffled at what his daughter had just told him.

"My god…I can't believe this. It's just crazy." he said softly, deeply troubled. "I second that." Blue Beetle commented, also blown away by Chloe's revelations. "I know it sounds like something from a nightmare, but it's all true. And right now, there are people who can stop Lucas and Darkseid." Chloe said, thinking of Clark and the others.

"I hope so." Gabe nodded as he looked over at Moira, which Chloe noticed and smiled. "Dad, I think this is the first time that the two of us and mom had been together since the divorce." she said, looking both happy and sad. Gabe nodded.

"You're right, honey; it has been a long time. It's been so long since I had seen your mother, and looking at her in this state…" he didn't finish, but Chloe could tell that he felt sorry for his ex wife. "I know, dad. Me too." she replied kindly.

Gabe looked over at Lois and Jimmy. "Thank you both for watching over Chloe." Both of them smiled. "Anything for family, Uncle Gabe." Lois said with a smile. "We wouldn't leave her no matter what." Jimmy said. Gabe nodded before turning back to Chloe.

"There's just one more thing…" "Yeah?" Chloe asked. Gabe looked stern. "How come you and Jimmy didn't wait until you were married to have a baby?" Chloe looked embarrassed, as well as Jimmy.

"Uh, well…sometimes, things happen that you didn't plan for." Jimmy said nervously. "Jimmy and I really didn't plan on having kids until a lot later, but one night we…got a little "carried away."" she said with a convincing tone.

It seemed to have worked; Gabe didn't look happy, but he seemed to accept their explanation. "Well, I guess there's nothing I can to change that. And besides," he paused as he looked at Moira again, "I think your mom would be happy for you and Jimmy."

Chloe and Jimmy smiled. Blue Beetle then got up. "Listen, I have to get back home; I need to rest after tonight." The others nodded and thanked him again as he walked onto the balcony. "You sure you'll be safe here?" he asked.

"Jarvis won't think of looking for us here." Lois said, sounding assured. Blue Beetle nodded. "Alright, I'll come back later to check on you guys. Be careful." he said as he flew off into the night sky.

After he had gone, Gabe turned to Chloe once more. "I think's time we got some shut eye; we'll talk more in the morning." "You get no argument from me." Chloe said as they went to the spare room that Lucy used once.

As they moved, Chloe couldn't help but smile as she saw Gabe pick up Moira from the couch and carried her with them.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Caves in Nepal:

Ra's al Ghul's men worked diligently to complete their portion of the poison. They were working in another large cavern full of heavy machinery and more Lazarus pits.

The henchmen were very careful when mixing powder from the meteor rocks into the various containers with the pits' liquid. As he looked, Batman saw that quite a few batches of the poison were finished already in the short time they got started.

He knew he had to put a monkey wrench into Ra's plans and fast. He would also have to find a way to eliminate the batches on the other parts of the world that Ra's mentioned earlier. It was a tall order, but Batman would not leave without finishing the job completely.

He spotted a control room of some sort near the ceiling of the cavern, right above the machinery used to mix the rocks and the pit liquid together. Silently, but quickly, Batman moved towards the control room.

Once he was in position, Batman took out his grappling hook and fired it straight up. It then wrapped itself around a large stalactite and Batman pushed a button to lift him up quickly. Luckily, he wasn't spotted, due to the mist created from the pits.

He landed softly on the roof atop the control room. Batman saw that two men were guarding the door inside. He then took out a small pellet from his belt and threw it down to the floor, right in front of the guards.

Seconds later, a thick gas sprayed out and caused the men to cough violently and later, collapsed. With his gas mask on, Batman leapt down and kicked the door to the control room open.

There a few more men inside the room, and before they could retaliate, Batman threw another gas pellet at them. Once they were unconscious, Batman approached the controls and studied them.

'_These seem to be the ones that control the process of mixing the meteor rocks to the Lazarus liquid. With a few "minor" adjustments, things will go very wrong for Ra's…'_ Batman thought as he began changing the commands of the machinery.

Before Batman pressed the button to confirm the new modifications, he saw what looked like a hologram of Earth with various red spots across it. With closer inspection, Batman discovered that those red spots are the other locations where the poison was being made.

He then came up with an idea as he went back over to the control panel. Batman tapped into the signals of the other poison manufacturing facilities and linked them up to the new command he was about to implement.

With a smirk, Batman pressed the button. Immediately, a new word had appeared on the dashboard: _"Overload."_ He then turned back to the hologram, and was pleased to see that they had simultaneously begun to destabilize and then vanish off the map.

Batman then felt the place shaking, now feeling the repercussions of his interference. He ran out of the control room and, using his grappling hook, swung to the opposite side of the cavern. Once he was out of harm's way, he watched the show.

The cavern shook as the giant machinery broke apart and exploded, causing the men to fly into the cavern walls hard, shocked by the explosion. Batman saw that the containers of the poison were destroyed in the blast, save one which rolled it's way to him.

He guessed that similar explosions were taking place at different parts of the world, destroying all the hard work that Ra's organization had accomplished. Batman picked up the last small container of the poison, curious. He ought to destroy it right here and now, but a sudden thought had crossed his mind…an idea that could prove beneficial if given the chance.

Pleased with his success, Batman carried the canister and ran out of the cavern, heading for the hanger. While he eaves dropped on Ra's and Talia, he learned of an aircraft hanger not far within the mountain.

Batman knew that it wouldn't take long for The Demon's Head to discover what had happened, and he had to move fast. He ran threw the tunnels with all haste. As he ran, he also hoped he'd put a dent into the grand scheme he learned regarding Ra's' involvement with this "Darkseid" person.

The Dark Knight couldn't believe what he had gotten himself into by overhearing Ra's and Talia, and would be sure to talk to Clark about it when he calls again. Minutes later, Batman arrived at the hanger and discovered a helicopter similar to the one he rode in before.

However, he was not the only one there. Talia stood beside the door into the copter, arms crossed. "I was expecting you." Talia said as Batman approached cautiously.

"Somehow I'm not surprised." Talia smirked. "Nothing seems to surprise you, does it Bruce?" she asked. Batman frowned. "What I'd learned from you and your father earlier was definitely a surprise." Talia nodded. "I figured as much." she said, holding out her hand.

In her hand was the transmitter Batman had placed on her, which caused Batman to stop still. "I found this when I undressed for the night, and realized what it had meant. I then guessed that you would attempt to sabotage my father's plans in some way and try to escape…which was why I came here." she explained.

Batman narrowed his eyes. "You were waiting to stop me from making a clean getaway." Talia shook her head. "I was waiting…but not to stop you."

Talia walked right up to Bruce and saw the container in his hand. "Plans for that?" she asked, nodding her head at the container.

Batman didn't respond to that as he put the container in his belt. "Does Ra's know I listened in on you two?" Talia looked away. "I kept it to myself." Batman raised an eyebrow. "It's for the same reason that I didn't tell my father about my confession to you: I began to grow fond of you."

Batman sighed and smiled a bit. "Thanks for not ratting me out." Talia gave a small smile. "As much as I love my father, I couldn't live with myself if I betrayed you. Also, I am not angry that you put that transmitter on my earlier."

Batman nodded, but frowned again. "How long has your father been working for Darkseid?" he asked bluntly. Talia's smile faded and looked more serious. "For a while. My father believes that Darkseid will spare me, himself and everyone in his empire if he cooperated." "What do you believe?" Batman asked.

Talia scowled. "I've never seen or spoken to him, but I have a bad feeling about their partnership. Darkseid expects my father's project to make his own project easier to carry out when the time comes." she said bitterly. Batman nodded.

"Your father's plan to kill a "superhuman" population was just part of a much larger threat. Ra's insists on "purifying" Earth, but from the way you talked about Darkseid, things might not go your father's way." Talia felt that Batman was right.

"I don't suppose you know the exact details of "that" project?" he asked. Talia shook her head. "I'm afraid not, sorry." Batman nodded. _'Then I'll have to get the answers from a friend…'_

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard another voice from the other side of the hanger. "Detective, do you have any idea what you have done?!" Ra's shouted. He was angrier than either Batman and Talia had ever seen, and it couldn't be a good thing.

"I stopped a madman from killing innocent people." Batman said boldly. Talia stood away from Batman, scared of her father at the moment. Ra's snarled. "It is clear to me that you _never_ intended to be my heir…which disappoints me, Batman. Do you think I will let you leave after…" he then fell on his knees, coughing.

Her concern for him caused Talia to run to him. His coughing was more intense than usual…until he fell unconscious. Talia checked his pulse, and she started to pale. "My father is dying, he must be taken to one of the Lazarus pits!" she exclaimed.

Batman looked down at Ra's, then back up at Talia. "Do what you have to; he's still your father." he simply stated. Grateful, Talia nodded as Batman jumped onto the copter. Before he closed the door, he looked back at the beautiful Talia once more.

"Until we meet again…Beloved." she said moving her father away from the copter. Batman said nothing as he closed the door and got to the pilot's seat. A few moments later, he got the copter running and flew it out through the opening above the hanger.

Talia looked up at it, thinking of the day she would meet him again. As she called for someone to aid her father, she failed to notice that Ra's had shown a very faint grin. _'If you think you had stopped "Project Genesis" , then you are sorely mistaken, Detective…'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Central City; Barry's Apartment:

_Clark was in a dark place, where he could see nothing. Everywhere he turned, there was only darkness. _"Kal-El!" _Clark flinched as he heard someone call him by his Kryptonian name. The voice wasn't clear; it sounded muffled._

"Kal-El!"_ the voice called again. "Who are you?" Clark shouted into the darkness. The voice did not answer. "Why do you call me?" The voice still did not answer, but instead something appeared before Clark._

_He couldn't tell what it was; it looked like it was trying to stabilize but was failing; it was like looking at static on a TV set. Clark stepped closer to try to get a better look. Even a few feet away, Clark still couldn't tell who, or what it was that was calling out to him. _

"Help me, Kal-El!!"

Clark then bolted up and sat on the bed, sweating and breathing hard. Those last words he heard woke him up. Even though he was fine, he could tell that someone else wasn't. Someone was in trouble, and whoever it was…it wanted _his_ help.

Clark then looked out the window in his room; the sun had come out…it was morning. _'Whoever is trying to contact me, I can't ignore it. But I have to put my team together and rescue Oliver and the others from the Key first. Maybe by then I'll know who…'_

"Morning, Stretch!" Bart said, getting out of his bed. "Let's head down and have some grub before we move out!" he added enthusiastically as he sped out through the door, heading for the kitchen. Clark laughed to himself as he followed Bart downstairs.

Not too far from Barry Allen's apartment stood the man who spied on Barry and Iris last night, watching from a nearby alley. He grinned at the surprise he would have in store for the Flash.

To be continued.


	46. Chapter 45 Cobalt

Time to kick things up a notch once more! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 45: Cobalt

Oliver's Apartment:

"You filled me in on you and Jimmy being engaged, but didn't bother to mention that you've been pregnant for months?" Gabe asked Chloe as they, Lois, and Jimmy ate breakfast the next morning.

They slept peacefully, and thankfully no more of Jarvis' robots had come for them; hiding out at Oliver's was a indeed a great idea (which everyone thanked Lois for). As they ate, Chloe and her dad were catching up. It had been a long time since they've seen one another, but have kept in touch.

"I didn't want you to overreact about it; we were planning to tell the big news after the baby was born and after the wedding." Chloe said apologetically. Gabe nodded, convinced by her daughter's lie. "So Mr. Sullivan, when have you and Chloe last been together?" Jimmy asked.

Gabe swallowed some eggs before he answered. "Well, after Lex Luthor faked the incident that convinced his father that Chloe and I were dead, he gave me a false alias and got me hired as a manger at a fertilizer plant in Iowa. After Lionel's conviction, Lex had Chloe call me and tell me everything was alright." he said.

"But why didn't you return after that?" Jimmy asked. Gabe sighed. "Lex didn't feel it was safe for me to come back while Lionel was still alive, especially after I heard he got himself out of jail. So I stayed in Iowa, talking with Chloe on the phone."

"It's gotta suck, Uncle Gabe. Not being able to see your own daughter for years." Lois said bluntly. Gabe and Chloe laughed. "Yeah it did. Even after I heard about Lionel's death and Lex ending up in a coma, I was planning on moving back to Smallville, but found that my new job kept me too busy to arrange anything."

"I don't blame you dad; I was pretty busy over here too." Chloe said, smiling. "After everything you've told me over the years, I can believe you." Gabe replied. "I'm glad you're here now…and mom too." Chloe said, starting to look sad as she thought of her.

Gabe patted her shoulder. "Don't worry; this time I'm not going anywhere for a while. After all, I don't want to miss your wedding and the birth of my grandchild." he said with a chuckle. Chloe smiled as she looked down at her stomach.

"I wish mom was herself again; she would be overjoyed too." Chloe said a moment later. Gabe smiled sadly. "So do I." To get his mind off of the sadness, he changed the subject.

"How's Clark doing?" Chloe shook her head. "Not too good right now; he's come down with a cold. I haven't seen him since I was rescued." she lied. Gabe sighed. "Sorry to hear it. But he's strong young man; he'll feel better in no time."

Chloe laughed in her mind. _'You have no idea how "strong" Clark can be…' _Jimmy then looked outside, which was shiny and clear. "When do you think Blue Beetle will be back?" he asked. No one knew as they shrugged.

"Who knows, but I'm sure Clark and Kara would like to know." Lois said as she took out her phone. "So far, I haven't heard from the Kent cousins since I left that message. Smallville has to be feeling a hell of a lot better by now."

Lois tried to call Clark's cell this time, but like his home phone, there was no answer and a answering machine. Lois sighed as she left a voice message in Clark's cell. Frustrated, she took a bite out of a piece of bacon.

"Maybe he's still sleeping in." Jimmy guessed. Lois looked miffed. "I thought at least Kara would pick up; she has to be over there to watch over Clark. I swear, the next time I call and no one answers, I'm coming over there and give them a piece of my mind." she said angrily.

Chloe hoped that Clark will be back in town when she makes good on her promise as she drank some orange juice. Gabe then brought up another issue. "So Chloe, do you and Jimmy plan to push up the wedding before the baby is born?" The couple looked stressed.

"We haven't got around to talking about it…" but then Jimmy interrupted. "Actually, I had an idea and I think it would work. And I think everyone will agree with it." he said, surprising everyone, especially Chloe.

"What exactly do you have in mind?" she asked as Jimmy smiled.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Central City:

Barry was still sleeping in his room when Bart barged in. "Rise and shine! Up, up, up!" Bart yelled enthusiastically as he opened the curtains in Barry's room, startling him. He yawned as he covered his eyes and stretched.

"What's the big idea Bart? I was dreaming about Iris." he said, irritated. Bart shrugged. "Didn't want you to miss on a good, hearty breakfast I made for us and Clark. He's already in the kitchen, waiting!" Barry then rubbed his eyes.

"What time is it?" he asked, slightly mumbling. Bart looked at his watch. "About half past ten." Barry nodded. "I'll be down there in a minute." he said, going into his bathroom to wash up. Bart left to return to the kitchen.

Not long later, all three of them had a nice meal of sausage spinach omelets, French toast, bacon, and some fruit salad with milk and orange juice on the side. Clark and Barry enjoyed it all. "This is great Bart. When did you learn to cook like this?" Clark asked.

Bart smiled like the kid he was. "Barry gave me a few pointers after I came here. Nothing satisfies a healthy speedster like a good, home cooked meal." he replied. Clark and Barry smiled as they and Bart ate.

After they were finished, Barry super sped up to his room and changed into some casual clothes. "Well, I'm going to my classes. I guess I won't see you two when I get back?" he asked, knowing that Clark and Bart had planned to leave today. The two confirmed it.

"We need to go and find AC and bring the rest of the team together. The sooner we leave the better." Clark said. Barry nodded. "In that case, it was nice meeting you Clark. I hope you and your other friends will be successful on your mission." he said, shaking Clark's hand.

"I hope so too, thanks Barry." Barry then turned to Bart. "I'm going to miss having you around Bart. It's been…fun." he told his unknown grandson. Bart smiled as he gave him a hug. "Thanks for everything, amigo."

Barry nodded as he walked out the door and closed it behind him. Clark turned to Bart. "He's a really nice guy." he said. Bart nodded. "He sure is. Hey, how come you didn't invite him to join the team?" Bart said, sounding a little offended.

Clark apologized as he explained. "Sorry, but you were the only reason I came here. Barry is an amazing person, and his powers are incredible, but I don't want to interfere with his life. Besides, I think two speedsters are more than enough." Bart looked sour.

"What about your new girlfriend, Diana?" Clark looked annoyed. "She's not my girlfriend. I asked Diana because we can use another powerhouse on the team; she's kind of like me." Bart still didn't like that Barry wasn't asked, but he let the matter drop.

"I guess." Clark nodded. "You get your costume and I'll see if mine is dry yet. As soon as we are ready, we'll go." Bart nodded as he walked up to his room, while Clark went to the drier to check on his attire.

Meanwhile, Barry was about a block from where he took his classes when he heard a robbery bell from a local jewel store around the corner. Sighing, he quickly walked behind a deli and made sure he was alone.

He then pressed the small stud on a ring on his left middle finger. The ring then opened and a small red object popped out, and quickly revealed itself to the Flash costume. With his super speed, Barry put the costume on and sped towards the jewelry store.

Once Flash arrived, he saw that there was quite a mess. There were police men studying the place. "What happened here?" he asked one of the officers. A young looking cop smiled at the sight of the Flash.

"It's an honor to meet you Flash. As for what happened…well, we are not quite sure." he said. "What do you mean?" Flash asked. Just then, an older officer walked in holding a piece of paper.

"This place has been hit, but the strange thing is…nothing was taken." he said with a shrug. "This is the second time a jewelry store has been attacked in two weeks! The first time was in Keystone, but unlike here something got stolen: A large black diamond. No one knows who did it. And the thief was never caught."

Flash looked puzzled. "So you think whoever hit the first store could've hit this one too?" he asked. The cops both shrugged. "We don't know; like I said, nothing was stolen this time. But we _did_ find this on the counter next to the register."

The older cop then gave the paper to Flash. "I think whoever hit this place wanted to get your attention." Flash then read the paper, which said:

"_You and I need to have a little chat Flash. Come to the building where you saved all those people yesterday; I'll be waiting inside._

_C.B._

Flash was definitely perplexed. "I think I better handle this; I don't want anyone else to get involved, okay?" he asked politely but seriously. The officers nodded. "If you say so; you're the super hero."

Flash then super sped over to the building he and Clark help evacuate yesterday. The place was still a sorry site. The entrance was still blocked from the rubble, but that wasn't a problem for him. He simply vibrated the molecules in his body and passed right through the debris.

Back at the apartment, Clark got his costume on (which was nice and clean), while Bart had his Impulse outfit on. They both looked ready for action. "Ready to go, Bart?" Clark asked as he put on his shades. Bart smirked as he did the same.

"Hell yeah!" Clark chuckled as they headed out the back door. But just as Clark was about to fly, Bart nudged him. "But first…can we have another race? For old time's sake?" he asked. Clark sighed. "Bart, we don't have time for that. We have to go find AC."

"I know! But it's just a few laps around the city, and it'll only take, what, no time at all with our speed?" Clark still didn't look like he was going for it. "C'mon, man! It's been a few years since we raced!" "And in all the times we ran together, you always left me in the dust." Clark snapped.

Bart snickered. "Tell you what, why don't I slow down a little so that you and I are at least a few steps apart?" Clark still looked unsure. "_Please??_" Bart begged. Clark sighed more heavily. "Fine; a few laps, and then we'll be on our way. Got it?" Bart nodded. "Totally! Now let's stretch a little before the race." he said as he began to warm up, along with an amused Clark.

Back at the crumbled building, Flash walked in cautiously. He didn't know who this "C.B." was or why he wanted to meet him, least of all meeting him in this place. "I'm here. Come out from where you're hiding." Flash called out.

Suddenly, Flash was hit from behind by a powerful force and was covered in blue flame. The pain he felt was excruciating. A moment later, the flames vanished, and Flash fell on his knees, feeling extremely weak. Then he heard an evil laugh.

He then saw someone walk out from a damaged stone pillar and moved towards Flash. A man wearing a dark blue costume with thick white gloves and boots, and wore white armor on his chest with a white mask on. On the man's chest was a blue gem that seemed to have a small flame within it.

The costumed man smirked as he stopped in front of Flash and crossed his arms. "I've been waiting for you." he said in a sinister voice. Flash raised an eyebrow. "I take it you're "C.B."?" he asked weakly. The man continued to smirk.

"It's short for "Cobalt Blue." Suits me, don't you think bro?" Flash didn't want to waste time and went straight to the point. "Why did you trash that jewelry store?" Cobalt Blue started to walk around Flash as he talked.

"It was just a beacon to light your way to me." "People could've been hurt!" Flash shouted. The villain chuckled, amused that Flash would be more concerned with other people than himself; more worried about them than what happened to him when he walked in the building just a moment ago.

"So what? Not my problem." "But it _is_ mine." Barry said angrily. Cobalt Blue didn't reply as he stopped in front of Flash again. "What do you want with me?" Flash asked, still a bit out of breath.

He finally managed to get back on his feet after a little struggle. Cobalt's smile then turned into a nasty sneer. "Payback…for having the life that should've been mine!!" Cobalt then punched Flash in the jaw, and the scarlet speedster feel back down.

Flash was stunned; Cobalt Blue's punch came so fast he didn't see it, and Flash himself couldn't dodge in time. As Flash wiped the blood from his mouth, Cobalt walked over, grabbed Flash by the throat and slammed him into another pillar.

Cobalt held Flash tight, but slowly squeezed. He seemed to enjoy the pleasure of choking the life out of his enemy. "I don't…understand." Flash said, now having trouble breathing. "What do you…mean? How am I…responsible…for your…life?!"

Cobalt then spat on the side of Flash's mask. "I was hoping you'd ask…Barry Allen." Flash's eyes widened with shock. Cobalt smirked again. "Yeah, that's right; I know who you are behind the mask. If you think _that's_ a shock, look who's behind _this _mask…"

With his free hand, Cobalt Blue removed his own mask. Flash was completely speechless: The man behind the mask of Cobalt Blue had _his_ face! Cobalt then removed Barry's mask so that they can see each other clearly.

Barry didn't understand any of this. _'Who is this man?! How can he and I look exactly alike?!'_ Cobalt laughed at Barry's thunderstruck expression. "The name's Malcolm Thawne. Want to hear my life's story, huh?"

Malcolm relaxed his grip just enough so that Barry could remain conscious and listen. "It all started on a stormy night years ago when Dr. Gilmore, an obstetrician in Fallville, Iowa, had two women in labor." Barry tried to listen so he could understand.

"The guy was drunk and had sent his nurse home, so he had to take care of one of them. He screwed up Charlene Thawne's baby and it died, but the other woman, Nora Allen, successfully gave birth to twin boys."

Barry was stunned; Nora was his mother. But he was stunned even more that he had a twin brother. _'My mother never told me I had a twin. Does this mean that this man…Malcolm…_is_ my twin?!'_ Cobalt went on as Barry snapped out of his thoughts.

"Gilmore, trying to even things out, took one of Nora's boys and gave him to Charlene and her husband, Hugo. He then told Nora and Henry, her husband, that one of their boys had been stillborn. You can imagine how upset they were…probably why they never told you about me." Malcolm said coldly.

Barry was shocked by this revelation of his family. "But if…you're my brother…then why…do you…hate me?" he asked. Malcolm stared coldly at his brother. "I'm getting to that." he said as he resumed his story.

"My "other" parents were con artists, and they had a special gift for the job…a blue flame." he said, pointing to the gem on his chest. "They raised me to help them with their little scams. And things were going well, until the first time I arrived here."

Barry was confused. "I came here once before, a few years ago. Before I got started on my part of the operation, I saw you strolling down the street with an attractive girl. I could not believe my eyes that there was someone who looked just like me! I went back to my parents, demanding an answer."

Malcolm snarled as he continued. "They told me I was their _adopted_ child, courtesy of Dr. Gilmore. I then tracked him down to confirm what I was told. After admitting he did make the switch, I was pissed off big time…so I killed him."

Barry gasped in horror. "How…could you?!" "How could I not?!" Malcolm retorted. "The bastard killed one kid, and gave another away as a replacement!! If that were you, wouldn't you have done the same thing?!" Malcolm shouted.

Barry was about to snap back, but stopped himself. What Malcolm said had thrust him into confusion. He did turn out alright because he was raised by two loving parents, but Malcolm turned out the opposite. _'If it was me that Dr. Gilmore gave to the Thawnes, not Malcolm…would I truly have turned out no better than him?'_

Barry felt lost by this troubling thought. He snapped out of it when Malcolm began again. "Anyway, after I killed him, I went to my adoptive grandmother, who taught me the secret of the Thawne's blue flame."

Malcolm began to smile. "Turns out, the flame can take anything your heart desired…you just got to have enough passion to wield it, and I qualified. I learned to harness the flame's power and focus it through the gem on my chest."

Barry then looked at the gem, which now seemed to burn a little brighter than before. "I used the blue flame to steal your speed powers; that's why I'm fast and your not!" Malcolm said as he laughed.

Barry could not believe how bad this whole thing was. "After I mastered the flame, I came back here to find you and take your life. I followed you into one of your science labs and saw you get struck by lightning and splashed with chemicals. I thought it was the end of you…to my disappointment, you became the "Flash" instead!"

Though he continued to be shocked by all this, Barry didn't understand. "If you saw me get my powers…why didn't you…show yourself…then?" "You sped out of there before I got the chance." Malcolm said.

"Stunned by your speed, I became even more jealous of you. When I found out about you, I looked into your background. All in all, you've had a pretty decent life…a life I should've had! But thanks to that pathetic of an excuse for a doctor, that never happened!"

"Brothers…shouldn't…hate each other…" Barry said, hoping he can get through to Malcolm. But his brother wasn't quite in the mood for listening. "Too bad I do!!" He then tightened his grip on Barry's throat.

"I could've dealt with you then and there, right after you became the Flash, but I was approached by another man who had the worst life while _his_ sibling had all the spoils: Lucas Luthor." Barry was stunned once more.

"Lex Luthor's…half brother? What did he…want with…you?" Barry asked painfully. Malcolm smiled again. "He asked me to steal some diamond for him…said it was part of a "big project" he was working on." Barry then recalled his visit at the trashed jewelry store.

"You're the thief…that stole the…black diamond from…Keystone City!" Barry barely breathed out. Malcolm snorted. "I wasn't interested at first, but after he promised me a large hunk of cash, I figured 'what the hey! Barry ain't going to die anytime soon.' So I stole that rock for him in Keystone, then I strolled here…setting this trap for you."

Malcolm then punched Barry in the gut multiple times, super fast. Barry gasped and yelled from the pain he felt. Malcolm took joy from each blow. After what felt like the 50th punch, Barry coughed up a bit of blood.

His insanely jealous brother finally released him, and Barry fell face down on the floor, aching in pain. Malcolm grinned wildly as he took out a white handle and used his powers to form a flaming blue blade. He held it high over Barry, aiming for his neck.

"I've waited a long time for this Barry. Now…my dear brother…good riddance!!!" But just before the blade could slice off Barry's head, a blur of red and blue came in and took Barry away in time. The blade smashed into the spot where Barry's head should've been.

"What?!" he looked around and saw two more costumed people in the building. A dark haired guy in red and blue, and wearing yellow shades held Barry in his arms. The other was younger boy dressed similarly to Barry, except the outfit was not spandex and he had red shades. They both didn't look happy.

"Who the hell are you?!" Malcolm yelled in outrage. Steel laid Barry down, not taking his eyes off Malcolm. "Impulse, look after him. I'll handle him." Steel said softly. "But if he's got Flash's speed now, he could be faster than you. Let's double team him." Impulse argued.

Steel nodded. "Fine, we'll take him together." He then moved Barry to a spot where he would be safe. Malcolm was enraged as he put his mask back on. "Whoever you two are, I'll make you pay for stepping into my business!"

To be continued.


	47. Chapter 46 Speed

Hi! The resolution with Flash and Cobalt Blue is right here! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 46: Speed

Central City:

Steel and Impulse stood ready as they faced their opponent, Cobalt Blue. Cobalt was pissed off big time that his chance for revenge got stolen from him, but he would not let it happen again. He was enveloped in blue flames as he snarled.

Steel super sped at Cobalt Blue, intending to punch him. But Cobalt sped out of the way a few seconds before Steel could hit him and came back around to slash Steel's back with his sword, which made him yell in pain. Steel was surprised that the flames could hurt him.

Cobalt Blue snickered as he tried to slash him again, but Steel turned around and grabbed Cobalt's wrist and threw into a far wall. Surprisingly, Cobalt got back up, ready for more. "Fool; my blue flame can do anything I command it too, including cushioning my falls."

Cobalt then sped at Steel again, but Impulse made his move as he stuck out his foot, causing Cobalt to trip and hit the floor, hard. Impulse smirked as his opponent wiped blood from his nose. "Gotta watch where you step!"

Impulse merely sidestepped as Cobalt tried to cut him down with his flaming blade, increasing Cobalt's frustration. "Stay still twirp!" Cobalt yelled as he tried to cut down Impulse again, only for the little speedster to zip away a split second before.

"Not even if you say please!" he said, leaning on a nearby wall. Cobalt was getting very annoyed. _'That kid is just as fast as Barry! Where did he and that other strong guy come from?'_

Cobalt then sped after Impulse, trying to catch him, starting at game of super fast cat and mouse. Steel watched with amazement as two blurs were moving all over the place; one red, and one fiery blue. He didn't know how long Impulse can keep this up. He had to think of a way to stop Cobalt Blue before Impulse starts to tire out.

When he saw that Cobalt was starting to gain in on Impulse, Steel super sped and knocked the villain away. The impact from the blow shook the building a little. Steel checked on Impulse, who was looking tired.

"You alright?" Steel asked. Gasping for air, Impulse nodded. "He's definitely got Barry's speed; if you hadn't jumped in, he might've caught me. Thanks." Steel then looked over and saw with shock that Cobalt Blue was getting back up.

"We have to attack his gem; it's the source of his power." Steel said, remembering what he heard from Cobalt prior to rescuing Barry. Impulse, still breathing hard, looked unsure. "And just how do we plan to do that? I don't have a lot of juice left, and his flames can cut even _you_ down." he said.

Steel nodded, understanding that. "I know." Just then, Cobalt shot blue fireballs from his hands at the duo, and they sped out of the way. When they stopped, Impulse to see that his fireball had not been aimed at him; it went after Barry, who was resting right behind where Impulse was.

Horrified, Impulse sped to stop the fireball from incinerating Barry. He barely managed to get in front of his future grandfather before the fireball could touch him, but as a result, Impulse got hit instead.

Impulse screamed liked he never screamed before as he felt his back burn and collapsed on top of Barry. "No!" Steel yelled as he sped towards the speedsters. He looked over his fallen teammate, and saw a big, nasty burn on Impulse's chest.

Impulse moaned in pain. "Looks like I got toasted big time, amigo." he said, his voice cracked. Steel, angry at the low blow Cobalt Blue had caused, became determined to finish the fight now. "Just stay here. I'll stop Cobalt Blue." he said as he walked back to where his enemy was.

Cobalt Blue sneered as Steel approached. "Too bad; one down, one to go. And then I'll settle the score with my brother." Steel clenched his fist. "Not if I take you down first." he said angrily as he sped at his opponent again.

Cobalt zoomed away, dodging Steel's attack again. But this time, Steel was ready as he immediately ducked when Cobalt tried to strike from the left, but missed. During those few seconds, Steel turned and grabbed the blue gem.

Unfortunately, not only did the gem stayed on Cobalt's chest, but it was too hot for even Steel to touch as it started to burn his hand. Though in pain, Steel tried to crush it. But the more he tightened his grip on it, the more his hand burned. Then the flames began to cover Steel as he held on to the gem.

Cobalt Blue laughed. "You're pretty strong, as well as fast. Maybe I'll take _your_ powers next!" he said gleefully. Steel yelled in pain as the flames eat away at him, and unable to stand, he fell on his knees.

Steel then finally released his hold on the gem, but he was shocked that he was still being attached by the flames. The gem's flame had got him trapped, and soon he would be powerless, just like Barry.

"That's right; feel the burn as you fall!" Cobalt said as he put his hands together and prepared to deliver the final blow. However, as Cobalt was about to finish off Steel, Impulse ran in at the last second and had thrust his hand inside the gem.

Both combatants were shocked by this as Impulse seemed shake his whole body rapidly as his hand was in the gem. It had hit Steel: Impulse had learned to vibrate his body like Barry did, and he was trying to use that to destroy Cobalt Blue's gem.

Steel was concerned by this rash action; in his weak condition, Impulse could kill himself. "Impulse, get away! You could die!" Steel yelled. Impulse turned and his face was screwed up in concentration. "It's the only way, man!" he said before he returned his attention on Cobalt Blue.

Cobalt was shocked as he saw that his gem was starting to crack from Impulse's new power. "No! What the hell are you doing, brat?!" he yelled. As the gem cracked even more, Impulse smirked. "Cutting off your power supply! Hope you like a good "burn out"!"

With one last push, and scream, Impulse had succeeded: Cobalt Blue's gem had shattered. This caused an explosion that threw Cobalt Blue several feet away and hit the ground with a loud, crunching thud.

The blue flames that had surrounded Steel had vanished and began to recover his strength. As he got back up, he saw that Impulse had fallen on his knees, breathing even harder than last time. Steel went over to him and held him up.

"Bart, are you okay?" Steel whispered. His teammate didn't turn to him, but smiled. "I'm worn out." he replied. Steel laughed a bit, but stopped when he saw that Bart's body was vibrating again. "Bart, it's over. Why are you still vibrating?" he asked, alarmed.

When Bart spoke, his voice started to scramble up, making him a little harder to understand. "I…don't…know. Can't…control it." His body then vibrated even faster, so much that he was actually starting too…fade. Steel was definitely alarmed by this.

"Bart, get back in control! You're starting to disappear!" he yelled. Bart squirmed as he tried to regain control of his body, but it proved futile. "It's no…good. I can't…stop it!" Bart then fell on the ground again, fading away fast.

Seeing this, Steel realizes what must be happening…and he didn't want to accept it. "Bart, please! Don't let this happen! The team still needs you…I still need you!" Steel pleaded. But to his surprise, Bart took off his shades, turned and showed a painful smile.

"I'm sorry…amigo. You were…right, about…my decision." Steel didn't understand what Bart meant, and Bart could see that. "I'm talking about…running away…from my…parents. I really do…miss them."

Steel didn't want to hear this, not in this situation. "Bart, stop talking. You need to focus your power. Save yourself!" But Bart ignored him. "I wish…I could've…seen them…again. I wish I…could've told them…how sorry…I was."

Bart was almost gone by this point, and there was nothing Steel could do. "Bart, you can't give up! I won't let you!!" he insisted. Bart gave a distorted laugh. "I enjoyed…all the times…we've had together." Steel stared at Bart in despair.

"Please…tell the others…that I'm sorry…I couldn't…make it back. When you see Chloe again, tell her…that I…wished we could've…dated…just once. And," Bart said with his last breath, "tell her…that I'm happy…for her." Bart Allen then faded out completely, and his red shades fell to the ground at Steel's feet.

Clark fell on his knees and hands as his own shades fell off. He was shaking all over, and was clenching his teeth. Slowly, he picked up Bart's shades and stared at them for a moment. Then a tear came out his right eye and fell on the shades.

"NO!!" Clark smashed his free fist into the ground with all his anger, and the entire building shook. Clark was devastated by the loss of his friend, but he was upset even more from the fact that he couldn't save him; that Bart ultimately saved Clark instead.

He was grieving so much, he didn't notice Cobalt Blue getting up and leaning on the wall. "Awe, so much for the kid. At least one pest is out of my hair!" Clark looked up at Cobalt Blue, his grief mixing with anger as he saw the man who forced Bart to give his life for his friend.

Clark got back up and super sped at him, which shocked Cobalt Blue. Clark then grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall and tore off his mask. "I won't let you get away with this!" Clark threatened in a low voice.

Cobalt tried to use his blue flame again, but he saw that his gem had indeed been destroyed; he couldn't channel the flame's power anymore. He was completely at Clark's mercy. Clark wanted to make Cobalt suffer for causing Bart's death.

"Stop! Don't kill him!" Clark turned behind to see Barry, who was on his feet once more He looked deeply concerned for Clark's actions. "Barry, do you have any idea what this man just did?!" Clark yelled. Barry nodded.

"I saw everything. I'm sorry about Bart, but killing Malcolm won't bring him back." Barry pleaded. Clark sneered as he stared at Malcolm again. "He doesn't deserve to live!" he said, outraged. Malcolm couldn't speak due to Clark's grip.

Barry walked over and put a hand on Clark's shoulder. "Before you saved me, Malcolm told me about our past. He's my…" but Clark had cut him off. "I know he's your brother! Bart and I heard everything while he was talking to you."

"Then you know why he's the way he is. It's not his fault Dr. Gilmore had made that switch." "But it IS his fault that Bart is gone! He even tried to kill you!" Barry nodded.

"Yes, but it doesn't make this right." Clark turned back at Barry, incredulous at what he heard. "Listen to me. Malcolm asked me if I had been the baby that was given to the Thawnes instead of him, would I have turned out just like him." Clark, angry as he was, listened.

"During the fight, I thought about it. In the end, I realized that it wouldn't have mattered because we are who we are because of how we were raised. Malcolm and I had different parents, and his upbringing was the opposite from mine. That can't be changed."

Clark was starting to understand what Barry was saying. "You told me how you were brought up, and look how well you turned out. Bart knew you well enough that you could never kill." Barry concluded.

As he turned back to Malcolm, Clark took a deep breath and let it out as he let go of Malcolm, who fell to the floor. Clark smiled at Barry. "Thanks Barry; I needed to hear that." Barry smiled.

Malcolm made a gagging noise as he regained his breath. "I think I'm going to be sick." he said as he was about to get back up. Just then, Barry zoomed in and punched Malcolm down again, rendering him unconscious.

Barry sighed, feeling sorry he had to do that. "That was for Bart." he said. Barry then turned to Clark. "I'll take Malcolm into custody. But there's just one thing I need to know first." "What?" Clark asked. "How did you and Bart find us?"

Clark smiled. "After you left, Bart wanted us to have a race before we go find AC. As we raced around the city, I heard someone screaming with my super hearing…and it came from this building. When we came here, we saw you and Malcolm. I decided to step in when he tried to kill you." he explained.

Barry patted his shoulder. "Thanks for saving me. And again," Barry frowned, "I'm sorry about Bart. I know that you two were close." Clark nodded sadly. "He was like a little brother to me. I can't believe he's gone."

Barry nodded. "Neither can I. I'm really sorry." Clark sighed, not saying another word. He knew if Barry knew that Bart was his future grandson, he would be really upset. Clark was glad he kept that from him.

Barry wished there was something he could do to make Clark feel better. A moment later, he thought of it. "Hey Clark. I know that Bart was supposed to be on your team to rescue your captured friends. So…would you mind if I take Bart's place on the team?" he asked politely.

Clark was surprised by the offer. "Barry, I can't ask you to do that. You have your own life here and I don't want you to risk your life on Bart's account…" But Barry interrupted him. "I appreciate your concern, but I want to help. From what you have told me, you'll need all the help you can get. So, let me help."

As he thought it over, Clark realized that with Bart now gone, he'll need another speedster to fill in the gap. And right now, Barry was the only other candidate he knew, and time was of the essence. So he made up his mind.

"Alright Barry, you're in." Barry smiled. "Thank you." The both of them heard police sirens now; they figured all the commotion in the place would get their attention. Quickly, Barry gave Clark his number so that he could call him when the team will get together for the mission.

"I'll be ready when you call me. So do you have any ideas of where AC is?" Barry asked. Clark nodded. "I think I have a good idea where to find him. Take care Barry. See you soon." Clark said as he put his shades back and flew out through the roof.

Barry then put his Flash mask back on as firemen and policemen broke through the rubble and entered the building. As he explained the situation and saw Malcolm get carried away, Barry felt pity towards the brother he never knew about but who turned out so wrong.

As he flew to AC's possible location, Clark once more thought about Bart. _'Bart, I wish this didn't happen. But I know you would want me to carry on the mission. Chloe and the team will miss you…and so would I.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

Bart Allen lay floating in an unknown place. Wherever that place was, it was peaceful. He was glad he got to go out in a blaze of glory; to save his closest friend and big brother. But still, he wondered about his surroundings.

From what Bart could see, he was in some kind of energy like place with red and yellow everywhere, lightning in the far distance and felt like it was empowering him somehow. Bart never felt better in this strange place. "Am I in heaven?" he asked himself as he looked around.

"Nope; just the Speed Force." said another voice behind Bart. Bart turned around, surprised that he was not alone. In front of him was a young African American girl in a blue and white spandex with an "S" on it (and it had spark at it's end), wearing white gloves and yellow boots, and wore her long brown hair in a ponytail. She was smiling.

Bart was confused. "The Speed Force?" he asked. The girl nodded. "It's basically the source of power, and final resting place, for all speedsters…like us." she said cheerfully. Bart raised his eyebrows. "_Us?_ So, you can run super fast too?" he asked.

"I sure do. After all, I am your cousin." This left Bart speechless. "Uh…_cousin_?" he asked. The girl stared at Bart with wide eyes, and then slapped herself on the forehead. "Stupid me. I forgot we haven't met."

She then hugged Bart, which really surprised him. "I'm your cousin, Jenni Ognats! I'm glad to finally meet you, Bart!" Bart felt weird as he hugged her back. "I'm sure you are." When they broke, Jenni apologized.

"Ah, think nothing of it. I guess this means my Aunt Dawn has her own family now?" Bart said with his usual grin. Jenni nodded. "Yep; my mom married my dad, Jeven Ognats. And just like you, I'm from the future." Bart then frowned a little.

"I guess this means that you must've died too…just like me." he said. To his surprise, Jenni disagreed. "Not really. And neither have you." Bart's mouth dropped open. "I'm…_not_ dead?" he asked breathlessly. Jenni laughed.

"Not today, you're not! When the Speed Force took you, I used my super speed to travel here to save you; we are surrounded by an energy field by a little gizmo made by Grandma Iris." she said while showing a black box she pulled out of her belt.

"But I was in the past. How did you know I would end up here?" Bart asked, confused. "Thanks to the Legion's history records, I knew that you were going to kick the bucket while saving Clark Kent. So I came here to save your hide."

Bart felt elated. "Does his mean I'm going back to help Clark?" he asked excitedly. To his surprise, Jenni shook her head again. "No Bart; I've come to take you home. Besides, the records said that you remain "dead" after your heroic sacrifice."

Hearing this greatly upset Bart. "What the hell?! Why not?!" Jenni looked a little sad now. "First, I don't want to alter the past; major rule breaker in the Legion. And second, Uncle Don and Aunt Meloni want you back home again. They miss you so much." she said compassionately.

After hearing that, Bart felt unsure. "Man, I don't want to leave Clark hanging there like that, thinking I'm gone." Jenni chuckled a bit. "Uh, Bart…technically, you are "gone"." Bart laughed a little, but not much.

"You know what I mean." Jenni patted his shoulders. "Bart, we have to let history run it's course; that includes letting Clark and everyone else believe you are dead. And don't you want to see your parents again?" she asked.

Bart looked away and didn't respond. Jenni understood what he was thinking. "Look, after you ran away they were so worried and were sorry that they were putting all that pressure on you. They want to make it up to you." she reasoned.

Bart stood there and thought about it. Sure he missed his parents, but he still felt a little resentment from how they wanted him to use his powers. He did eventually learn that from Clark and Oliver.

In the end, he decided to reconcile with his parents; after all, that's what Clark would want him to do. Bart turned back towards Jenni and gave her his answer. "Jenni…let's head home."

Smiling, Jenni held Bart's hand as they ran super fast. Soon they began to fade as they returned to the future. Before they were gone, Bart hoped that Clark would be alright and that he and the others will save the world from Darkseid.

'_Don't forget me Clark, 'cause I won't forget you…big brother!'_

To be continued.


	48. Chapter 47 Vision

I hoped having Bart leave the story didn't upset anyone, but judging from the reviews I'd say it didn't! Now then, time to bring back Aquaman! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 47: Vision

Miami, Florida:

_A brown haired woman splashed out of the ocean, looking wildly worried. She found an empty beach with a small cave on the other side and decided to hide in it. In her arms was an infant…a boy with short blonde hair. _

_The boy was crying as his mother tried to hush him. "Be calm my son; you are safe now." She searched the area, and to her shock she saw a man walking along the beach, observing the ocean. The woman quickly ran into the cave with her child._

_The man she saw seemed to enjoy watching the waves crashing on the seashore. But her son cried again, and it seemed to catch the man's attention as he turned to the cave._

_Curious, he moved towards the woman's hiding place. The woman feared what would happen if the stranger had found her. Would he kill her? Would he kill her son? She tried to move further within the cave, while still trying to calm down her son, but the man kept coming._

_Unfortunately, the cave didn't go far, and soon the woman found a dead end. The only way out was the same way she came in, towards the direction of the man. She was trapped. She feared for her life, and feared for the life of her baby._

_The man finally appeared before them and…_

"Hey! Wake up! Break time is over, AC!" Arthur Curry woke with a start. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "Sorry, sir. Dozed off." he said. His boss, a stocky man with a stern look, merely grunted.

"Come on now, time to get back to work. Help me with these boards." he ordered. AC got out of his chair and helped him with the shining. He was working in a surfboard shop in Miami, polishing and selling them to surf crazy customers.

As he was bringing in a new shipment of boards, AC dwelled on the dream he had. _'What is the deal with this dream I've been having lately? Why do I keep having it?'_ AC had been having that same dream over and over ever since he arrived there, lying low after he got Oliver's warning about their "stalker".

The woman who came out of the ocean, the man that approached her, the baby she was carrying…whatever that dream was about, AC had started to think it had something to do with him. He tried to remember the details about the man and woman, but their faces were always blurred; he could never see them clearly.

He did, however, hear the woman's voice. She sounded both caring and afraid. But why was she so terrified? Would he ever find out what it all means. But AC had decided to put the dream away and focus on his duties.

A couple of hours later, it was time for AC to head back to his apartment. After he left the shop for the day, while carrying a backpack with his costume in it just in case, he decided to take a swim in the Atlantic. He found a beach and took a swim.

AC always felt at home in the sea; he felt like it's where he should belong, though he knew that his place was with people. He swam in the deep water for about half an hour, just listening to all the fish conversing with each other.

As he was about to head back to shore when he heard something in the water…no, a someone. "Stop! You will not escape us traitor!" "No; leave me alone! Please go away!!" AC swam a little further into the water and saw a very bizarre scene.

He saw a young girl swimming around frantically with six men chasing after her. What AC noticed, to his immense shock, was that all of them seem to be able to speak underwater. That had to mean that they could breathe underwater too, just like AC himself could.

Not only that, but they also seem to swim just as fast as him. This made no sense at all to AC; the only other person that could swim almost that fast was Clark. As the chase continued, he saw that the men were beginning to gain on the mysterious girl.

'_What the hell is going on?!' _AC thought as he watched. He didn't know what was happening, but it was clear that the men chasing the girl seem to want to kill her. Well, AC wasn't going to float around and let that happen.

The girl kept swimming until one of the men caught up with her and bashed her head. She fell to the sandy seafloor. Seconds later, two of the men grabbed her by both arms. Three others landed and pointed coral like daggers at the girl's throat.

The last one, a bulky man, stood in front of the girl and snarled at her. "You gave us quite a bit of trouble. Time for you to pay for your insolence!" He got out a sword and prepared to cut her throat

But before they could complete their goal, AC swam in an punched the leader into a rocky wall nearby. "Hey bro! Not cool to kill innocent young ladies!" he yelled, turning to the other men and the girl.

Now that he was much closer, AC got a better look at them all. The men all wore strange sea-like armor and had black hair. The girl looked even weirder: She had thick blue hair and her skin had a light blue tinge to it. She wore an aqua green one piece outfit that was sleeveless.

All of them were surprised by AC's appearance. They were all shocked to see someone else able to survive underwater like them. The leader got back up and faced AC, with just as much surprise as everyone else.

"How dare you interfere, stranger?! Whoever you are, this matter does not concern you! Leave now or die!" he commanded. AC smirked. "As soon as you let the blue girl go." he said confidently.

The girl was surprised that this stranger was really willing to save her. The men's commander got retrieved his sword. "So be it." He yelled as he swam at AC with the intent of killing him. Still smirking, AC shot out of the way and reappeared behind him.

While he was distracted, AC formed one of his water balls and hurled it at the leader. Caught off guard by this, the leader was shot out of the water. The girl and the men holding her were shocked immensely by AC's attack.

They couldn't understand how a mere nobody could be such a formidable foe underwater, and none of them knew how he used that technique he used on their commander; it was unheard of. The girl stared at AC with both shock and amazement.

She wondered who he could possibly be. When the girl saw AC's hair, she gasped aloud. _'Could it be…him?'_ The men were scared of AC now. "Come any closer, and the girl dies!" one of the men yelled as he held a knife to the girl's throat.

AC paused, but then got an idea. He closed his eyes and called out with his mind to a group a certain sea creature. A moment later, a 6 ft octopus came from behind the men and began to strangle them with it's tentacles. This caused the girl to break free and move away.

She was shocked once more by AC's ability to communicate with an animal from the sea. She was more convinced than ever of who her rescuer was.

"Have fun." AC called out to the octopus, and it twitched one of it's tentacles as a way of saying it will. While the men were struggling to break free, the girl turned to her savior. "Thanks." was all the girl could say. AC merely smiled.

"Anything for a damsel in distress." But before anything else could be said, AC was hit hard in the back and was quickly apprehended, along with the girl. They then dragged them up to the surface and dragged them to shore on the beach.

"Did you think I didn't bring any back up incase there was trouble?" the commander said as a dozen new men held AC and the blue girl. He studied AC for a bit.

"You are definitely a strange one. Your abilities are unique, but nothing short of a platoon of my finest men couldn't subdue." he said proudly. AC struggled; whoever these guys were, they seemed just as strong as him.

"Who the hell are you people?! What's she ever done to you?!" he asked, looking at the girl. The man snorted. "As I said before, none of this is _your_ concern. But now you will get to die…along with her."

He then looked at each of his men. "Kill them." The men held AC and the girl tighter as two men unsheathed their swords, one for each prisoner. AC and his companion looked up at them and looked like it was the end for them.

But then a fast something from out of nowhere attacked the men that were about to decapitate AC and the girl. They were knocked quite a ways into the water far behind them. As everyone looked to see what happened, the men holding AC and the girl also got smacked away.

The enemy commander looked around, searching with growing fear of what was attacking them now. "What now?! Show yourself you coward!!" The man then felt someone tapping on his shoulder from behind.

He turned around and saw another stranger, but he was in strange garbs of red and blue. The girl was stunned by the appearance of another powerful hero, but AC knew full well who it was, and was more than happy to see him again.

Steel frowned as he stood his ground. "Leave them alone." he said boldly. The man yelled in anger as he tried to cut off Steel's head, only for his blade to shatter to pieces. Steel's neck didn't have a single scratch on it.

The man was terrified by him just as much as he was of AC. Steel replied with a punch in the face and sent him flying back into the deep waters of the ocean. The other men Steel knocked away were scrambling toward the water. "Retreat! RETREAT!!"

They fled as fast as they could, down right scared of those two strong strangers. After taking off his shades, Clark took AC's hand and gripped it and smiled. "Missed me?" he asked. AC laughed happily. "You know it bro. Good to see ya!"

"I knew I'd find you around here in Miami; it's where you went to school." Clark stated. AC nodded. "You guessed right. Thought it was a good place to lie low for a while. I guess you heard what happened, huh?" he asked.

"Oliver left a DVD that explained everything." "Wait, he didn't tell you himself?" AC asked, confused. Clark shook his head. "He wasn't there when I got back. He and Dinah both got captured by your "stalker", just like Victor. He is called "The Key" and works for Lucas." AC snorted. "Should've guessed. What about Bart, and Chloe? And how come your hot cousin isn't with ya?" he asked.

Clark frowned a bit from hearing that AC thought Kara was "hot", but answered his questions. "Kara is staying on Rokyn for a little longer; she...wasn't ready to come back." he said, thinking how sad she still was over losing Brainiac 5. "Chloe is fine...for the most part." "What does that mean?" AC asked, concerned.

Clark hesitated a bit, and then told him about Chloe's "unnatural" pregnancy. AC was pretty shocked to say the least. "Oh man! That's way freaky!" "Sure is." Clark replied. "And Bart?" Clark then looked exetremely uncomfortable, which AC definitely noticed. "What?" Clark sighed.

"AC...Bart is dead." AC looked like all the air got knocked out of him. "He sacrificed himself to save me from a powerful villain in Central City, which was where I found him. I'm sorry." AC cursed again. "Damn. I'm sorry to bro. Can't believe the little guy is..." he couldn't finish the sentence. An uncomfortable silence followed.

The silence was broken when the girl, who was pretty silent until now, cleared her throat...loudly. "Not to sound rude or anything, but isn't it my turn to talk now?"

Clark then turned to the girl and was surprised by her appearance. "Who's your new friend?" he asked. "Don't know; haven't had a chance to find out after I saved her from those guys." Clark smirked. "Would that be before I saved both of you?" he said jokingly. "Ha, ha." AC said humorlessly.

The girl smiled at them. "Thank you both for saving me…especially you." she said, looking at AC. "It's what us heroes do." he replied. "Who are you?" Clark asked. "Debbie Perkins. As you can see, I stick out like a sore thumb around the people up here." she answered, pointing out her skin color.

As strange as she appeared, Clark knew there had to be an explanation, and he will learn shortly.

"I'm Clark, and this is Arthur." "But you can call me AC." AC said. "What was the deal with those guys? Why were they trying to kill you?" he asked. Debbie frowned. "It's a long story. Perhaps we should talk to someplace more…private?" she suggested.

AC nodded. "We can head back to my place. It's not far from…" But AC stopped mid-sentence as he saw something he hadn't noticed on the beach before…a cave. AC began approaching it, much to the bewilderment of Clark and Debbie.

"AC?" Clark called, but his friend didn't answer. He walked up to the cave entrance and placed a hand on the inside rock. He then saw a flash of the woman with the child again. He once again saw her run into a cave, hiding from the man that was after her.

AC walked further inside the cave, and when he reached the other end he saw the last part of his dream. Once more, the woman was trapped before the pursuing man, afraid for her son. But this time, AC was able to see their faces.

The woman had hazel eyes and thin lips. She was definitely beautiful. As AC watched his vision unfold and the man's face appeared, he was shocked; it was Tom Curry, AC's father. He looked young and handsome, and looked strong. AC began to wonder what his dad was going to do.

"Whoa, stop! I just want to talk!" Tom said as he saw how scared the woman was. The woman held on to her son for dear life. "Keep away! Don't harm my son!" she cried out, making her son cry even more.

Tom cried to reason with her. "Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you or your son. Why are you so scared?" he asked softly as he stood close by. The woman didn't speak for a while, but after seeing the sincerity in Tom's face, she gradually calmed down and explained.

"I fled from my home. My son was to be put to death…and I refused to let that happen!" she answered loudly. Tom looked horrified. "My god. Why would anyone want to kill an innocent child?" he asked, looking at the blonde boy in the woman's arms.

"Because of how he looks." she said simply. Tom didn't understand what she meant. "I see nothing wrong with him; he looks perfect." he pointed out. The woman smiled. "He is, but many others didn't agree. They kept saying my son was cursed, because of the color of his hair." she said.

Tom was even more confused. "What the heck is wrong with having blonde hair?" he asked incredulously. The woman shook her head. "It is all pure prejudice." was all she said on the subject.

"I don't ever intend to go back. Not with my son at risk." Tom nodded. "Is there any place you can stay at?" he asked. The woman shook her head. "I have no idea where to go." "Well, you can't raise a boy in a cave." he pointed out.

The woman nodded. Tom then suggested something. "Would you like to stay with me for a while?" he asked kindly. The woman looked surprised. "You would take in a complete stranger and her child?" Tom smiled. "Like you said, you got nowhere else to go." The woman smiled again.

"I accept your kind offer. What is your name?" Tom walked over to her and offered his hand. "The name's Tom Curry. And yourself?" As he helped her up, she finally introduced herself. "My name is Atlanna. And this little bundle of joy…" she seemed to have hesitated.

"Yeah?" Tom asked. Atlanna then chuckled. "I haven't thought of a name for him yet." Tom smiled. "Well, I'm sure you can come up with one soon. I have a cabin up in Maine; I own and operate a lighthouse there. I was about to head back on my boat when I decided to take a walk on this beach, and that's when I saw you."

Atlanna smiled as she followed Tom out of the cave. At that moment, AC's vision had ended. He leaned on the cave wall, stunned by everything he had witnessed. Clark and Debbie came in seconds later, looking concerned. "AC, what's wrong?" Clark asked. "Are you ill?" Debbie questioned.

AC shook his head. "No, I'm alright." he said as he faced them. "Why did you wander in here all of a sudden?" Clark inquired. AC let out a sigh. "Believe it or not…I just witnessed my parent's first meeting."

Both of his friends looked dumbstruck. "What do you mean?" Debbie asked. AC then told them of the dream he had been having, and then the vision he just saw in that cave. "I just now realize that, this whole time, I have been dreaming about how my parents first met. It was…weird." AC said.

Debbie was wide-eyed about the whole thing for some reason; she even gasped when AC said his mother's name. Clark thought it was nice of AC to think of his parents, but something about it confused him. "Your mother already had you when she met your father?" AC nodded.

"From what I saw, that baby looked every bit like me. I'm telling you, it was first time I ever saw my mom; she died when I was a baby, remember?" Clark nodded. "You did tell me that before. So I guess it must've happened shortly after your father found the two of you." "And after I was named." AC said sadly.

"Then that means Tom Curry wasn't your birth father." Clark stated. AC didn't look comfortable from hearing that. "No, and I don't like it. He raised me as his own son; I can't imagine anyone else being my father." They were quiet for a moment to ponder all this.

"AC, if Tom Curry wasn't your birth father…then who is?" Clark asked. AC shrugged. "I got no clue bro." "Well I sure do!" Debbie said frustratingly, to the surprise of Clark and AC. "What are you talking about, Debbie?" Clark asked.

Debbie could barely contain yourself as she turned to AC. "I know everything about your real family! And after seeing you in action today and hearing of your vision, I'm totally positive of who you are! You should know it too!" Both AC and Clark looked at each other with immense surprise.

"Not following you." AC said slowly. Debbie, shocked by AC's reaction, sighed. "Didn't your adoptive father tell you anything about what your mother might have told him about her past? You know, about where she came from and everything?" she asked.

AC still didn't look like he got it. "All my dad told me was that he and my mom met a year before I was born. Before he died in a fishing accident he said nothing out of the ordinary, like meeting her in a cave after I was born." he said. Debbie cursed.

"Then you know nothing!" she shouted. "Don't get upset, Debbie." Clark said, calming her down. "What do you know about me that I don't?" AC asked, feeling agitated. Debbie sighed once more. "You want the truth?" "Yeah!" AC said impatiently. With that, Debbie gave him her answer.

"You are Orin, son of King Atlan and Queen Atlanna, rulers of the kingdom of Atlantis. And you, "AC", are the rightful heir to the throne."

To be continued.


	49. Chapter 48 Orin

Arthur Curry's family history is revealed! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 48: Orin

Miami, Florida:

Clark and AC stood thunderstruck by what Debbie had just said. Clark stared at from Debbie to AC in complete disbelief. _'AC…the prince of…Atlantis?!'_ AC was just as lost as his friend as he got his voice back.

"What?" he asked. Debbie looked annoyed. "You heard me; you're the long lost son of the king and queen of Atlantis." AC stood silent for another minute, and then laughed loudly, which surprised Clark even more.

"Yeah right. _Me_, the prince of Atlantis! That's rich!" "You think I'm making this up?!" Debbie asked incredulously. AC stopped laughing but still smiled at Debbie's nonsense. "Atlantis is a myth; it doesn't exist." he pointed out.

Debbie looked mad now. "No it isn't! Despite what you've heard from all the people on the surface, the lost continent is indeed real!" "How do you know Atlantis exists?" Clark asked, trying to act rational. "Because that's where I came from! It's my home too!"

Clark seemed more surprised, but AC still wasn't convinced. "If you and I came from the same place, how come you don't look anything like me or those guys that tried to kill us?" AC asked. Debbie looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Because unlike you or those scumbags, I'm only half Atlantean. My mother, Miya Shimada, was human. And for a time I thought that Neptune Perkins, a gifted swimmer and hero, was my father. But after both their deaths when I was a little girl, my _real_ father came for me: King Atlan. I was born a few years after his wife and son left."

The two young heroes were surprised yet again. "Somehow, King Atlan felt the loss of his wife and mourned her. After a while, he came across my mother and she had me. But Miya didn't know it because he was pretending to be my other father; the real Neptune was unaware of it too because Atlan implanted in him the memory of mating with my mother."

"So you're…AC's sister?" Clark asked. "_Half_-sister, Clark." AC still refused to believe to any of it. "My half-sister, huh? I don't know about that, but that other stuff about me sounds like hogwash."

Debbie grunted in annoyance. "Why won't you believe me Orin?" "Because it's just plain crazy. And stop calling me that." AC said simply. They stared at each other with anger and disbelief. Clark tried to bring peace between them.

"AC, let's just hear her out. She might be able to explain your vision, and why she was being hunted down by those men." AC looked at Clark like he was off his rocker. "You're really not buying into this, are you?" Clark gave him a stern look.

AC sighed in defeat as he turned to Debbie. "Fine, let's hear the story." Debbie thanked Clark for the persuasion and began the story. "It all started long ago with one of our ancestors: A monster named Kordax."

Clark and AC listened as Debbie talked. "When he was born, he was abandoned in the ocean due to him having a green scaled body and blonde hair. Some say that he was "cursed" and feared he would bring disaster to all of Atlantis, so they left him out to die."

"That's horrible; he shouldn't have been judged by this appearance." Clark objected. Debbie nodded. "Perhaps, but that was what happened. And in the end, they were right about fearing him." "What happened to him then?" AC asked.

"Unbeknownst to anyone, Kordax survived due to being able to communicate with undersea life…just like you can, Orin." AC grunted. "Angry for being tossed out like a piece of trash, Kordax returned to Atlantis as an adult and led an army of sea creatures to take the throne."

"Did he succeed?" AC asked. Debbie shook her head. "No; he was defeated and captured. As his punishment, his left hand was cut off and later, banished from Atlantis forever. He swore revenge before he left, and was never seen again." she concluded.

"What does this have to do with AC?" Clark asked. "Because of Kordax, they feared that any Atlantean born with characteristics like him were deformed and should be disposed of. "The Curse of Kordax" they called it. No other Atlantean had a scaly body after him, but the blonde hair did return."

"Gives new meaning to the term "discrimination"." AC said bluntly. Debbie nodded slowly. "Anyway, King Atlan was the next Atlantean born with blonde hair, and some people tried to do to him like it was done to Kordax, but our grandfather stopped them and decreed that anyone who tries to kill anyone with blonde hair will be beheaded."

"And that's how "our old man" survived to become king?" AC asked in a sarcastic tone. Debbie ignored his rudeness and resumed. "Time passed, and he met and soon married Atlanna, your mother. Then later, they had you and named you Orin, after the Atlantean that once saved Atlantis from destruction."

"I'll bet." he replied. "Why happened that made his mother leave Atlantis with her son?" Clark inquired. Debbie looked sad again.

"Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with the new law. A small disgruntled group that strongly believed in the Curse of Kordax plotted to kill Orin shortly after hearing of his birth. However, a spy among them delivered the news to his parents."

"And what did they do?" AC asked, now curious since Debbie had gotten to talking about him. "They were greatly troubled. Our father formed a plan: He had your mother take you and leave Atlantis, while he created a ruse to convince that group you had died. Then, when you were old enough, you and your mother would return to Atlantis to begin your training to become the next king."

"And she decided to hide on the surface, because it would be the last place to look if anyone found out her son was alive." Clark guessed. Debbie nodded. "Yes, but she was afraid; she had never been above water before and did not know what to expect from the surface people. That is, until she met Tom Curry." she said, looking at AC.

"I suppose that does makes sense." he reluctantly admitted. "Father waited for his wife and son to return for years, but when he felt the time had arrived for their return…you never did. And after hearing about your mother dying when you were still a baby, and you not knowing about your heritage, I understand why you never came back."

AC did not respond, still trying to digest what he had heard. "So I was brought up here, away from my _real_ home…because of my _hair_?" he asked after a while. Debbie looked away, not wanting to reply. AC looked away and snorted again.

"That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard." AC said as he walked out of the cave in anger. "Orin wait!" Debbie shouted. She tried to follow him, but Clark stopped her. "Let him go; he needs some time alone." he stated.

"But why? Why can't he accept who he really is?!" Debbie asked, not understanding her brother's actions. "He doesn't want to. AC was raised as a human his whole life, despite his powers. He can't accept the fact he has a legacy to live up to."

Clark knew this well because he had been through the same thing when he found out about his own heritage. When he learned about Jor-El, Krypton, his Kryptonian name, and his own destiny, Clark refused to accept any of it.

Every time Clark tried to turn away from his past and legacy, it always comes back to haunt him…and it often comes at a great cost to Clark himself. After his past trials, Clark finally came to embrace his destiny. Now it was AC's turn to do the same.

Clark then turned back at Debbie and smiled. "He'll come around." Debbie nodded. "I hope so. But the thing is…he doesn't have a lot of time." Clark raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I still haven't told you why I was pursued by those maniacs." she stated. Clark nodded. "Then explain." Debbie then started her second story. "Well, after my father found me, he brought me back to Atlantis to raise me. Even though it is different than up on the surface, I came to accept it as my home. However, not everyone liked me."

"Because you look different." Clark surmised, because of the discrimination against AC. Debbie nodded. "Thankfully, my father always had me protected. I was happy there for a while, but then…my father suddenly changed."

"Changed?" Clark inquired. Debbie looked scared now. "He was no longer the strong, benevolent man that I and all of Atlantis knew him to be. He became corrupt and obsessed with power. I tried to ask why he was doing all this, but instead of giving me an answer, he ordered my execution!" Clark was shocked.

"That was when I decided to flee Atlantis, and obviously my father didn't want me to escape. He sent some of his royal guard after me, ordering them to kill me. I fled as fast as could. They would have succeeded if it weren't for you and Orin." she finished.

Clark found his hard to believe. "Why would your father become a tyrant all of a sudden?" he asked. Debbie sighed. "I don't know! None of this makes sense!" She took a deep breath and calmed down a bit.

"But now that I've found Orin, he and I can return and maybe save our father from himself. If only he would just believe me!" she shouted in frustration. Clark thought about it and patted Debbie's shoulder.

"You and AC won't be alone; when you're going, I'm going with you." he said with conviction. Debbie was surprised. "That would be a bad idea. Even before King Atlan became corrupt, Atlantis was most unwelcome to all outsiders. And it still is!" she warned. Clark smiled.

"AC is my friend; I won't leave him to fight this battle without me. He'll watch my back, just like I would for him. And we'll both watch over you too." he said with a smile. Debbie then smiled back. "Any help would be appreciated."

Clark then looked outside the cave, staring at AC's direction. "I think I'll go have a talk with AC now. You wait in here." Debbie agreed as Clark walked out to join his friend.

AC was standing on the shores, watching the waves crashing in around his feet. He stared into the vast waters that held deep secrets, though he never guessed that one of those secrets would be his place of origin.

"Are you ok?" Clark asked as he stood next to AC. AC continued to stare at the sea. "I don't know what to think, bro." He paused before continuing. "I guess a part of me wanted to know how I can do what I do, and to know why I always felt closer to the sea than to anything else. Now…I think I know."

Clark nodded. "Then you believe what Debbie said about you?" AC turned to Clark. "Does it really matter? We're not staying much longer anyway; we've got to find Ollie and the others." Clark understood, but refused to change the subject.

"I think it does matter." AC looked surprised. "You _need_ to accept who you are…and your destiny." AC then gave Clark an accusing look. "What if I don't want any part of it? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly royal material."

"Perhaps, but it doesn't change the fact that you are Atlantis' heir. And right now, it needs your help, as does Debbie." "Help with what?" AC asked. Clark then filled him in on Debbie's background and Atlan turning tyrant and trying to have her killed.

AC was appalled by this. "And you still expect me to accept that _that_ man is my father?! Forget it, bro." he retorted, turning away. Clark sighed. "I know what you're going through. I didn't want to accept the truth about myself either, but I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't ignore it. And you can't ignore the truth about you either."

AC didn't respond. "Look, right now Debbie needs you…and so does all of Atlantis. After that, we can focus on rescuing Oliver, Dinah, and Victor. And if they were here, they would tell you the same thing I am." he stated.

Clark's friend turned back to him, stunned. He still didn't reply and for a moment, Clark thought AC would not do anything. But to his surprise, AC turned and walked over to his bag and opened it. "What are you doing?" Clark asked.

AC smiled as he got out his Aquaman costume. "What's it look like? I'm suiting up…for Atlantis." Clark smiled back, glad that AC finally accepted what he has to do. Clark then went back in the cave to tell Debbie that all three of them were going to Atlantis, which she was very happy to hear.

As AC was getting his costume on, Clark started to feel apprehensive of what they'll encounter when they arrive.

To be continued.

Note: I won't be posting Chapter 49 next week. My mom has a hip surgery next week and I plan to be there for her while she recovers. So I hope you'll hold on till I return!


	50. Chapter 49 Atlantis

I'm finally back with more action! I'm SO, so sorry for being away so long; my mom's therapy took all of my time. She's a whole lot better now. Hope this was worth the extra long wait. Enjoy!!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 49: Atlantis

Atlantean Royal Palace- Throne Room:

The men that tried to kill AC and Debbie had just returned to Poseidonis, capital city of Atlantis, and entered the throne room. They were not only badly beaten, but they were terrified of how their king would react to their failure in the their mission.

The throne room was a huge and beautiful place. Everywhere it had statues of kings past made of coral and had the color of the ocean itself. At the other end stood a large staircase that led to the golden throne, with it's king sitting on it.

King Atlan observed the men as they kneeled before him in fear. He appeared to be a well built man with long, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. His expression was not a soft one. After a bit, he finally spoke.

"Were you successful at killing Debbie Perkins?" he bluntly asked. The captain reluctantly lifted his head up as he answered.

"My king, we have…failed." Atlan narrowed his eyes. _"Failed?"_ he said unpleasantly. The captain nodded. "We had her cornered and were about to execute her, but two strangers appeared and protected her. They were too powerful, so we retreated."

Atlan made a barely noticeable growl. "So instead of carrying out my orders, you ran back here like a bunch of worthless cowards. Is that what you're saying, captain?" he asked. The man shook his head, scared.

"No, your highness! We were simply no match for them, so I ordered a tactical decision and pulled back! Please be merciful, my king!" he begged. Atlan snorted after a long moment of dreadful silence.

"Tell me about these strangers you've encountered." he ordered coldly. The captain looked into the king's eyes and explained.

"Well, both of them were young men, probably in their early 20's. One of them wore red and blue and had dark hair. He had strength and speed that outmatched our own in the water. And my sword shattered like glass when I tried to cut his head off!" he said, showing the king his broken blade.

Atlan raised an eyebrow. "Curious…very curious." was all he said about him. "And the other one?" he asked. The captain resumed. "He wore orange and green clothes, and his powers are even more mysterious than his friend's."

"How so?" Atlan asked. "Not only does he have super strength too, but he is also able to breathe underwater and swim as fast as any Atlantean! To top it off, he is capable of launching powerful spheres of water from his hands and communicate telepathically with creatures of the sea; he summoned an octopus to strangle us in our fight with him!"

The Atlantean ruler widened his eyes at that last part. "He summoned an octopus…with his mind?" he asked for confirmation. "Yes, your highness." the captain answered.

Hearing this brought confusion to his mind. _'How could this "orange and green man" be capable of that? The only other being I know who could do that…'_ He interrupted that thought as he suddenly thought of an unlikely possibility.

He hoped he was wrong, but he had to be sure if that man is who he thought he was. "I have one more question for you captain." "Yes, sire?" he asked nervously. Atlan then stood up from his throne, looking extremely intimidating.

"The man who wore orange and green…" he paused briefly. "Yes?" the captain asked again. "What was the color of his hair?" The captain looked surprised at the question, but answered. "His hair was blonde, your majesty."

For the first time, Atlan displayed true shock. He looked as though he took a blow to the gut. This proved that his suspicions were correct as his anger grew. _'So…after all this time, he's still alive.' _It was a while before he spoke again.

"Vulko!" Just then, a young but chubby man appeared from the behind the throne. His face looked oddly pasty, but nobody seemed to notice. "You summoned me, your highness?" he asked with a smile. Atlan nodded.

"Listen carefully. I want you to alert the city of the possible arrival of the strangers. I want all entrances guarded and to have the men kill the strangers on sight, and Debbie if she's with them. But I especially want the blonde haired man dead! Is that clear?" he demanded loudly, causing his advisor and soldiers to shudder.

"Y-yes, your excellence! It shall be done!" Vulko said as he had the soldiers depart at once. Alone, except for Vulko, Atlan sat back on this throne with anger as he looked at the statues. "It seems you are finally coming home…Orin." he said quietly. Vulko nodded while he wasn't looking and smiled.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ocean Floor:

A school of fish was swimming casually by, only to scatter when three unnaturally fast objects shot through the water. Steel, Aquaman, and Debbie swam towards Atlantis, dead set on setting things straight with King Atlan. Debbie led the way.

While Steel and Debbie were wary of what would happen when they would arrive, Aquaman was more concerned about meeting his father for the first time. He couldn't believe that his own birth father was the ruler of a city he always thought was a kid's bedtime story. But he was unnerved of how his father changed.

He hoped he could fix what was going on with him. He didn't like the possibility of fighting his father if it came down to it. But Aquaman was no coward; he would face anyone who mistreated his friends…and family as he glanced at Debbie.

As they reached a large chasm , Debbie stopped and signaled for the boys to halt and hide behind some large rocks. Debbie and Aquaman knew that while they can breathe underwater, Steel could only hold his breathe. Though he can hold it for a long while, he wanted to reach a breathable surface soon.

Debbie then motioned for Steel and Aquaman to carefully look beyond the rocks and into the chasm, and what they saw amazed them.

It was Atlantis in all of it's ancient glory. It consisted of several large and highly advanced looking cities, and all of them are covered in energy like domes. Steel and Aquaman were in awe of the lost kingdom, especially Aquaman since it was the place of his birth. Debbie then pointed to the city in the center, which was the largest of all.

"That is Poseidonis, Atlantis' capital city. It is where the royal palace is…and where we will find King Atlan." she said, fearing to face her father again. Steel and Aquaman nodded. "Let's go." Aquaman said firmly. Debbie and Steel nodded.

An hour after Atlan's orders were given, all of Poseidonis was on alert for any intruders. At each one of the gates in Poseidonis, 5 guards are in patrol. They were following orders and kept an eye out for the intruders that their king warned them about.

The gates themselves were like shimmering mirrors set between the city and the outside ocean waters. 2 of the guards were watching the other side of the gates, while the other 3 were stationed on the inside as backup. So far, they don't see anyone.

If one of the other gates were to be breached, they would know instantly by a special alarm which would be heard throughout the city. But everything was quiet…for now.

At the Eastern gate, one of the 3 backup guards yawned and stretched. "This is boring. For all we know, these intruders may not show up at all." One of the other guards grunted.

"If our king said that we might have some uninvited guests, then we should head his words. Don't lower your guard for an instant; from what we've heard, they are considered extremely dangerous." "And you never know when to lighten up!" the third guard retorted.

As they argued they fail to notice activity at the nearby fountain, which was supposed to be off for the time being. A blue-haired head had risen out of the water and glanced around. Debbie saw the guards and became worried.

She looked down in the water and she mouthed "Three guards at the gate, while two more watch the other side." Steel and Aquaman nodded as they waited for her signal to move. Seeing some aquatic plants around the fountain gave Debbie and idea as she reached for them.

The three guards continued to argue about the appearance of the intruders. "Well if or when they arrive, and at our gate, they'll wish they hadn't!" the first one said in pride. "We'll beat them up so much, they will be begging…hey! What's going on over there?!" he shouted, pointing towards the fountain.

The three guards gasped as some small fauna around the fountain grew rapidly in size, covering the fountain from sight. "Plants don't grow that quickly! You, go check it out!" the eldest of the guards asked the younger third on. "I'm on it."

He stepped cautiously towards the fountain, sword and shield in hand. The guard then walked around the enlarged plants to find an opening, but there was none as the fauna completely surrounded the fountain.

He slowly parted the plants with his sword to what was causing it. Back at the gate, the other two guards were watching their comrade, watching for anything that might jump out and attack.

They then saw him being dragged through the plants and heard him scream for a second before silence followed. "What the?!" they both shouted as they ran the fauna covered fountain, and they both meet two powerful fists as they pulled the plants apart.

The guards flew a several yards before landing with a loud crack, leaving them as unconscious as their companion. Steel and Aquaman came out while Debbie approached from behind. "That was fun." Aquaman said with a smirk. "Let's just hope they are out long enough." Steel replied as he and Aquaman dragged the guards inside the fountain where no one will see them.

"What about the two guards at the outside of the gate?" Steel asked. "I know their routine; they won't check in with the other guards for a while. We should be fine 'till we reach the palace." "Which is where?" Aquaman asked.

"Follow me." Debbie said as they moved quickly but silently. They hid behind an ally as a patrol came by. "That was a brilliant plan Debbie, luring those guards to us so we could knock them out and not setting off any alarms." Steel said. Debbie smiled.

"Thanks. I was a good thing that they didn't shut off the water valve for the fountain until after we swam in from the duct outside the city." Aquaman looked around the streets; their were a lot of patrols in every direction. "Looks like our old man's expecting us." he said to Debbie ominously.

"We must hurry. This way." she said as she ran through the ally with the boys right behind her. Not long after, they had found the royal palace. It was the tallest and most extravagant building Steel and Aquaman have ever seen. The palace was aquamarine in color and resembled something similar to the Council building in Kandor.

"There's the royal palace. The throne room will be tough to get into with all this extra security." Debbie noted at the number of guards outside the palace doors and the possible numbers inside.

"We can handle it. Wait here." Steel said as he and Aquaman moved out. Before they knew it, half the guards in front of the palace doors were knocked away thanks to Steel's formidable speed and strength.

While the remaining guards looked around in terror, Aquaman jumped out and punched and kicked the whole lot of them to the ground. Debbie was impressed with well they worked together. "You coming…sis?" Aquaman asked with a cocky voice.

Smiling back, Debbie followed suit. As Steel opened the doors, they saw more guards waiting. "The throne room is beyond those silver doors." Debbie said, pointing at the doors behind the incoming guards. Steel and Aquaman smirked as they took on the incoming soldiers.

Inside the throne room, King Atlan was startled as he heard a loud commotion out in the palace hallways, as was Vulko. The men were shouting and giving orders, but they screamed in pain as well.

In a surprisingly short amount of time, the screaming and shouting had stopped. A moment later, the doors were pushed open by the people the king had expected. Steel and Aquaman walked with Debbie safely behind them.

Atlan stood up as they entered his throne room, both surprised and amused, with Vulko standing calmly behind him. AC was momentarily speechless, for he was staring into the face of his birth father for the first time. However, he couldn't be less happy to meet him.

"So you're the great King Atlan, huh? My _father_?" He asked sarcastically. Atlan smiled, but not the friendly kind. "Yes Orin. I am both surprised and delighted that you have finally returned home after so many years." AC didn't buy any of it.

"Cut the crap, old man! We know you tried to kill Debbie!" he shouted as he pointed at his half-sister. Atlan continued to smile as he began to walk down the stairs.

"It was all a misunderstanding, my son. I set it all up so that Debbie could find you and bring you back to me." he said politely. Clark wasn't so convinced either as he took off his shades.

"That's a lie! Your men tried to kill both your son and your daughter! Debbie told us you used to be a man of great compassion. What happened to you after your wife and son left years ago?!" he shouted in anger.

Atlan then looked over at Clark. "That is none of your concern, outsider." he replied coldly as he reached the floor. "It is my concern because they're my friends!" Clark retorted, which made AC and Debbie smile at him.

Atlan laughed. "How touching. But you and my son have caused quite a bit trouble from what I've just heard. I suppose that couldn't be helped, though." He looked over at AC and Debbie.

"I will speak to both of you in private, while your "friend" leaves at once." They instantly refused. "Clark's not going anywhere, old man! He stays with us!" AC said firmly. Atlan shook his head.

"This a _family_ discussion only, and he is not a part of it." he then lifted his hand and hit Clark with an invisible force so strong he was knocked into a wall. "Clark!" Debbie shouted. "Don't worry sis; he's been through worse than that." AC said confidently, but still shocked that his own father attacked him.

Atlan was surprised as Clark got back up seconds later. "I see you're made of stronger stuff than I thought." With surprising speed, he tried to punch Clark, but Clark grabbed his fist and swung him away. Atlan smashed into a column near the door.

Like Clark, Atlan barely felt the impact. "Not bad for a non-Atlantean." he said without amusement. Debbie and AC got in between them. "Father, stop this! Please!" she begged. "Lay off, will ya?!" AC shouted as he stood with Clark.

"You heard your father, impetuous child! He wants him to depart at once so he could catch up with both of you!" Vulko shouted as he walked down to the floor.

"And who're you, chubby?" AC asked. "I am Vulko, your father's royal advisor. I do what he says if I were you." he instructed. Debbie wouldn't hear of it. "Vulko, you know he is not in his right mind! Can't you see that?!" she asked desperately.

Vulko shrugged. "What I can see is his children being down right disobedient towards him, and that your friend is refusing to respect his wishes." Clark stared at Vulko with growing anger. Vulko then, with his left hand, pointing at AC.

"You shall respect your father and have your friend depart at once!" Before anyone could retort, Atlan then fell on his knees with his hands on his head. He started to scream in pain. Everyone was shocked, especially Vulko.

"What's happening to him?" AC asked Vulko, who started to look worried. "I…I don't know!" As Debbie went to her father while AC just stared at him in confusion, Clark noticed how worried Vulko looked.

"Do something!" Debbie shouted as AC decided to be with her, still unsure if he should help him or not. Vulko didn't look like he knew what to do to help; he just stared at Atlan. Just then, they heard Atlan mutter something. "Kordax…!"

This really surprised the group. "Kordax? The monster that tried to take over Atlantis and failed? Why is he saying his name?" AC asked. "I don't know!" Debbie answered confusingly. Atlan winced with more pain. "Kordax…!" Clark then looked over at Vulko, who's face was starting to pastier than usual.

"Why is he muttering Kordax?" he demanded. Vulko shook his head. "The king is obviously losing his mind! He must be suffering from some mental disorder he got in recently. Let me take him to his private chamber!" Vulko insisted as he approached.

As he was about to take him, Clark grabbed his left arm. "Wait. Don't take him anywhere; he might be trying to tell us something." he suggested. Vulko disagreed instantly. "I told you, he's losing his mind. Release me and let me take him!" he argued as he struggled to pry his arm free.

Clark released him, but still kept him away from Atlan. "Kordax…here…!" Atlan moaned. Clark, AC, and Debbie were starting to believe that the king is trying to give them a warning, while Vulko was becoming more insistent. "Enough! I must take him now before his condition worsens!"

AC then approached Vulko. "I agree with Clark; something's fishy here and it looks like your king is trying to spill the beans about it." Vulko grew angry.

"If you care at all about your father, then let me take him to his chamber where I can help him!" he shouted. Clark is looking at Vulko suspiciously.

"Why are you trying to get AC's father away from us? It sounds like he's trying to tell us that Kordax may have returned…and that's he's here somewhere." Vulko seemed to start becoming more concerned.

"He could die if we don't hurry! LET ME TAKE HIM NOW!!!" But Clark and AC still didn't let him get closer to the king. "Guys! Look!" They turned back to Debbie and saw that Atlan was trying to point his finger.

With his hand shaking badly, he pointed at where the three men were standing. "Kordax…!" Clark, AC, and Debbie immediately turned towards Vulko with wide eyes, comprehension beginning to form. Now they knew what Atlan was trying to tell them.

Vulko began to back to sweat. "Why are you looking at me like that?! The king needs my assistance now!" he said urgently, a definite sense of panic in his voice. Clark then suddenly grabbed Vulko's left arm again and AC seemingly ripped it off.

What they saw underneath it was a short golden blade. Debbie gasped in shock as she saw it. Clark and AC are without a doubt now who they were dealing with. AC then threatened him.

"You got about 10 seconds to talk before we kick your ass…Kordax."

To be continued.


	51. Chapter 50 Birthright

Wow, Chapter 50! I can't believe we are here! Enjoy immensely!!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 50: Birthright

Atlantis; Throne Room:

Vulko, or rather Kordax, changed his expression from fear and concern to downright anger. He couldn't believe that he was exposed like this, especially in front of King Atlan's long lost son.

Kordax decided to do away with the rest of his disguise since it was now useless. He now looked just like the monster that Debbie told Clark and AC about: A green, scaly creature with blonde hair. And of course, the gold blade that replaced his left hand.

Debbie gasped at the sight of him, while Clark and AC merely stared at him with contempt. "What have you done to AC's father?" Clark asked angrily. "Start talking, fish face." AC said, sharing Clark's anger.

Kordax merely grunted. "I merely took what was rightfully mine from the beginning…the power and authority over all Atlantis! And no one shall stop me, not even you Orin!" Kordax shouted. AC didn't reply, but he was still determined to teach him a lesson

"You're controlling my father, aren't you?!" Debbie shouted, still beside King Atlan who is still suffering. Kordax folded his arms and grunted.

"Yes, and it was going so well…until now. Seeing his son again must've triggered something within his mind and started to regain control. But I shall remedy that." he snarled. "How are you controlling him?" Clark asked. Kordax now smiled.

"With a little help from a surface dweller…by the name of Lucas Luthor." Clark and AC were shocked immensely at this. Kordax continued. "During my exile, I swam the vast oceans of this world, searching for a way to get my revenge and take Atlantis."

Clark, AC, and Debbie listened intently. "I found a large boat that held a costume ball in it, full of disgusting humans. As I saw their costumes, I learned that the solution I have been looking for might be found on their world."

The others didn't like where this was going. "I snuck onboard and pretended to be one of them in some frightening suit; they fell for it completely. Well, almost all of them. Lucas Luthor was the host of that little event and immediately saw that I was no costumed freak, but just a freak."

"When was that?" AC asked. "Months ago, when he was still in control of his company, Luthorcorp. When I went to one of the drinking fountains alone to replenish the water in my body, Lucas found me and began to have a chat."

"About what?" Clark asked, knowing nothing good will come from their encounter. "I was at first intending to kill him, but I saw how brilliant he was and how he's as tenacious as I was. That was when I decided to use him to help me get my revenge."

Clark and AC weren't liking it one bit as Kordax continued. "After filling him on my "tragic past", he agreed to help me…provided I'd do a favor for him in return. He would develop a special serum which could allow me to control anyone I want…as long as I injected it into that person first."

"Impossible! King Atlan is too powerful for anything a human to conjure up!" Debbie protested. Kordax merely smirked. "It would have been impossible, had I not given Lucas a sample of my blood as the key ingredient. It would work since Atlan and I are distantly related."

"You bastard." AC cursed. Kordax ignored him. "After some time, Lucas had finally perfected it and gave it to me to use on Atlan. Of course, while I waited, I had to blend in with a disguise he made for me so that I wouldn't be seen as the monster I am."

"What did Lucas want from you in return?" Clark asked. "He wanted me to deliver to him a replica of my missing left hand, carved from a special red rock found on the ocean floor. I don't know how Lucas found out about it, but I didn't care as long I got what I wanted." he smiled.

"When did you return here to Atlantis and injected that stuff in my father?!" Debbie asked furiously. "About a week ago, right after Lucas gave me the serum. I snuck in with my cunning and power over creatures of the sea."

AC was really starting to hate this guy as he continued the story. "I got into his private chamber without detection and injected the serum on the back of his neck. Shortly afterwards, I gained full control over him."

Clark and AC just about had enough of their foe as he was about to finish. "I wanted to humiliate and disgrace him by making him look like a vicious tyrant, while I watched from the sidelines disguised as his advisor, Vulko."

"I knew Vulko from all the time I was raised by my father and it was before you came back! What did you do to the real Vulko, kill him?!" Debbie shouted in outrage. Kordax snickered. "I merely had him imprisoned; I wanted him to witness the fall of the Atlantis, and the King Atlan, that he knew."

Kordax then grew angry again. "But my new rule over Atlantis was threatened because of his offspring…you, Debbie." he pointed at Debbie. "I had your father carry out the order to execute you so that no one else could have the throne. But then I heard that his son, Orin, was somehow still alive." he then snarled at AC.

"I knew that if Orin ever returned, he would challenge his father for the throne. So I also ordered his execution. But it looks as though you managed to get here without much resistance." he said as he stared at the trio.

"Your reign ends now, Kordax! Release King Atlan!" Clark demanded. Kordax shook his head. "That is not going to happen." he then looked over at Atlan and widened his eyes. _'Atlan, obey me! Kill your offspring and their friend now!'_

Suddenly, Atlan stopped screaming and returned to his tyrannical state. "If you will not cooperate, my children…then you shall die!" He then smack Debbie hard into a wall and she fell unconscious. Clark and AC were shocked by this.

"Kordax has regained control over him!" Clark shouted as Atlan came for the guys. Clark and AC blocked both of Atlan's powerful punches, but the same force that hit Clark earlier was used on them and smashed them close to where the throne was.

Kordax laughed as they got back up. "Yes Atlan! So no mercy to any of them!" he said as he continued to laugh. AC looked over at Kordax with hate. "Let my father go, bastard!" he shouted.

Before Atlan could strike again, he paused and went wide-eyed. "Orin…son…!" Clark and AC were surprised to him say AC's real name. Kordax growled frustratingly. _'Damn! He's resisting me again. Orin must somehow be able to reach him, allowing him to fight back. That's it; Orin has to go!'_

With that, Kordax immediately began charging after AC, intending to kill him himself. He grabbed AC and punched him hard, causing the hero to fly out of the throne room and into the hall. "Let's have at it Orin! You and me, one on one!" he shouted.

AC smiled. "That's just what I was thinking. You're on!" AC then looked back at Clark. "Can you handle my old man while I beat the crap out of scaly here?" he asked confidently.

Clark, dodging Atlan's next attack, answered back. "I'll try not to hurt him! Do it!" Apparently Kordax's attack on AC allowed him to control Atlan once more and resumed his attack on Clark.

AC nodded. "Let's take this out in the water!" he yelled as he ran to one of the gates, with Kordax following suit. They ran through the one that Clark, AC, and Debbie had hidden at nearby.

The guards that the trio had knocked out earlier hadn't been replaced, and it was still too soon for the two guards outside the gate to check on them. They got a rude call however as AC zoomed past them, with Kordax in hot pursuit.

"What in Atlantis was that?!" one of the guards asked. "I have no idea, but we better alert the king and the city at once!" the other guard said as they head back into Poseidonis to raise the alarm.

Now out in the vast ocean floor, AC and Kordax stood ready for their showdown. They stared at one another with nothing but hate for each other. "Your friend is strong from what I've seen, but I doubt he can handle your father for long." Kordax taunted.

"Clark is tougher than you think. But forget about him; this is between you and me!" AC shouted. "Indeed it is. Time to see which of us deserves the throne of Atlantis! Come Orin, come to your death!!!" At that moment, the rightful heir to Atlantis' throne and the vengeful monster that desired that power began their epic fight.

AC started with throwing a few of his water spheres at Kordax, but he swam out of the way and countered with a swing of his blade. AC grabbed the blade and delivered a powerful punch right into Kordax's face, causing him to crash on the sea floor hard.

Any creatures swimming around scattered from the impact as the area became dusty. AC swam down cautiously to get a better look. But when it was clear, Kordax had vanished. Looking around, AC found no sign of the beast.

Just then, a school of sharks came out of the distance and began attacking AC. They were trying to bite and tear him to bits. Stunned, AC punched the sharks away and swam to get some distance.

He then remembered that Kordax can also communicate with animals of the ocean. _'So Kordax wants to play with fish huh? Two can play this game!'_ With his own power, AC commanded the sharks to halt and attack the one that contacted them first.

After that, the sharks swam to a large rock formation and attacked something behind it. Kordax yelled as two sharks bit his remaining arm and right leg. He easily swat them off like flies, pissed that AC used his own sea telepathy against him.

"Stop acting like a coward and come out, Kordax!" AC demanded. "As you wish, your highness!" Kordax shouted as he bolted towards AC and grabbed him by the waist, before having them both crash into another large rock close by.

Kordax punched AC with his remaining hand several times and tried to pierce his skull with his attached sword, but AC moved his head out of the way in time and kicked the monster off him.

AC then threw some punches of his own in Kordax's face and gut, and each one had the strength to break the bones of an ordinary person. Kordax reeled from a strong head butt from AC and back away. "Had enough?" AC shouted confidently. Kordax smirked. "I'm just getting started."

Back at the palace, Clark was having his hands full with Atlan. He was being entirely defensive since the king was being controlled by Kordax and didn't wish to harm him. Of course, that didn't mean Clark would stand around and be a punching bag.

When Atlan tried to use attack Clark with his strength or his magical power, Clark would super speed out of the way to avoid being hit. But he also had to make sure that Debbie wouldn't get hurt in the crossfire.

"You can't dodge me forever, outsider! You've only seen a mere glimpse of my power!" Atlan then raised his arms up and the ground began to shake. He then threw his arms down and a blast of energy came out and hit Clark.

It sent him crashing into a wall again. Clark was caught off guard by that attack; he then realized that he didn't know anything about Atlan's powers, and he was in big trouble. He immediately flew up towards the ceiling to avoid the attack again…only to be covered by a strange energy field and he fell back down to the ground.

Clark was shocked by this as Atlan laughed. "I have you now. As long as that aura is around you, your flight and speed are gone! We fight by strength alone from here on out!" Atlan then ran to Clark and punched him in the gut, making Clark gasp.

As he bent over in pain, Clark remembered his vulnerability to magic. _'Looks like I'm helpless against Atlantean magic too.' _Before he could recover, Atlan grabbed Clark's head and bashed it with his knee, then followed with another punch in the face.

Outside of Atlantis, the fight between AC and Kordax raged on. They locked hands and pushed each other. Their strength seemed matched, but not for long as AC began to push Kordax back towards the edge of a giant pit.

Kordax wasn't particularly fond of it as he caught sight of it. He then kicked AC in the chin and flew above him and unleashed a powerful blow with his hands locked together.

AC then fell towards the pit but quickly regained control as he swam back up towards his opponent. Before he swam out he formed another water sphere and threw it at Kordax, this time connecting.

He was distracted long enough for AC to deliver a double punch in the face, which made Kordax yell in pain. Some blood actually leaked off from his mouth as he faced AC.

"Damn you!" AC smirked. "Ready to call it quits and free my old man?" he asked confidently. Kordax spat, which actually was a small stream of bubbles. "The only way to free your father from my control is to kill me. And I have no intention of dying now or ever! You on the other hand…"

Kordax then swam like a bullet towards AC and tried to punch him again, but instead of punching him, he cut his chest with his blade. AC yelled from the pain as Kordax kicked him into a rock above the volcano.

AC hung there in pain as Kordax approached him. "It hurts doesn't it? The pain I felt was far worse than your own!" He then grabbed AC's left arm. "But allow me to show you that pain, as I cut off your left hand…the way mine was!!"

But before Kordax's blade could slice off his left hand, AC grabbed Kordax's right arm and swiftly moved it underneath the blade. Kordax screamed in agony as his other hand was cut off and blood began pouring out into the water.

As he was screaming, AC threw two more water spheres (one from each hand) and Kordax took the full brunt of it. AC then punched the monster in the face multiple times, letting out all the hate he had towards the beast that used his father like a puppet.

With one final blow, Kordax was knocked down into the mouth of the pit. To finish the job, AC pushed the giant rock above the pit into it with all his strength. As it fell, Kordax screamed at his failure as the rock landed on top of him.

AC let out a long breath and winced as he felt his chest sting from the cut. _'Good riddance.'_ he thought as he swam back to Atlantis.

Clark was being thoroughly thrashed by Atlan. Even with his strength, Clark was having trouble against the mighty Atlantean king. Clark managed to block a punch and countered with a punch of his own. The king merely spat as he returned the favor.

The young Kryptonian was knocked down again. Atlan approached him and was about to deliver another devastating blow when he paused and lowered his fist. Clark then noticed that the energy field surrounding him had dissipated too.

Atlan was shaking his head like he just woke up from a bad dream and rubbed his eyes. "What…what is going on? Who are you?" he asked. Clark then realized that Kordax's hold on Atlan was at last broken. _'This must mean AC defeated Kordax.'_

Just as he thought this and got back up, AC returned. "You okay, bro?" he called. Atlan turned towards him as Clark smiled and nodded. "I'll be fine. You?" AC smirked and gave a thumbs up. "Scale Face is history."

Atlan then started to rub his head as he stared at his son. "That's right! I remember…Kordax! He was controlling me against my will! I was able to resist…because of the presence of Orin, my son." he said as he smiled at AC.

When AC saw the smile on his father's face, he suddenly smiled back. A small moan caught everyone's attention as Debbie woke up. "Debbie! Are you alright, my child?!" Atlan shouted as he ran towards her, with Clark and AC right behind.

Debbie shook her head and rubbed her eyes. Once her vision cleared up, she saw the face of her father looking concerned for her. He smiled as she smiled back. "Father…you're back." she whispered as she hugged him.

"I am back…thanks to Orin and his friend." he said as he turned to AC and Clark. Clark then patted AC's shoulder. "I'll let you two have talk." he whispered as he backed away, with AC nodding in appreciation.

Atlan and Debbie got back up and Atlan looked at his son. He smiled. "Orin…my son. You've grown into a fine young man. Thank you for freeing me from that vile beast's hold over me." AC nodded. "It…was something I had to do."

Atlan then hugged AC, probably since the first time since his son was born. AC then found himself hugging him back. Clark and Debbie smiled as father and son are now finally reunited for real.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Several hours later, King Atlan announced to all of Atlantis that his recent behavior was due to the return of the monster Kordax and his manipulation of him. He also expressed his happiness that his son, Orin, has finally returned to Atlantis and rid their kingdom of the monster and freed his father.

He then released the real Vulko from prison and introduced him to AC and Clark, who Atlan also thanked. Vulko was more than delighted to see the lost prince of Atlantis return after so many years.

King Atlan held a great feast in his palace to celebrate the return of his son and the fall of Kordax, who AC revealed was gone for good. Clark decided to stay for the celebration, but wanted to get moving as quickly as possible.

Now that AC has set things right in Atlantis, it was time to get back on his previous mission: To find and free Oliver and the others from the Key and finally stop Lucas and Darkseid once and for all.

After the feast, Clark filled AC, Debbie, and King Atlan in about Lucas, Darkseid, and their plans for Earth. They were all more than shocked about this. AC then revealed the serum that Lucas made for Kordax to take control of Atlan.

This outraged the king. "I cannot believe all this! A human from the surface knows of us and helped Kordax to try and take it from me! Lucas Luthor must not get away with this!" "He won't; we'll make sure of that." Clark said.

Atlan nodded. "I hope so." "How do you plan to stop him and Darkseid, Clark?" Debbie asked. Clark then told of his captured friends and that Lucas was holding them prisoner. "But I'm going to put together my own team to free them. With both my team and Green Arrow's team together, we'll have a chance." he concluded.

"Sounds like a plan, bro." AC commented. Atlan and Debbie both agreed. "I have complete confidence that you will succeed." "Thanks your majesty." Clark said. Atlan then turned to his son.

"Orin, I know that you and I have some catching up to do. But this is not the time; you must help your friends to save the planet, and essentially all of Atlantis, from this great threat. Before you leave, promise me two things."

"Sure, what are they?" AC asked. "First, promise me that you and Clark will not speak of Atlantis to anyone else, even those closest to you. Atlantis' secret is my top priority. It has been compromised enough by Lucas, and I don't want anyone else threatening it in any way. Can you two do that?"

Clark and AC looked at one another, astounded by this. This meant they couldn't tell Ollie, Kara, or the others about it. But it was understandable, considering what Lucas has done already. They both nodded in agreement. "We promise." AC said.

Atlan nodded in return. "Good. The other promise is for you only, Orin. Promise me that once this crisis is over, you will return to Atlantis and begin your training to become the next king." AC was overwhelmed more by that one.

'_Me…becoming king?'_ He had only just found out about his heritage, and now he was being asked to leave the world he lived in behind and embrace the life he never knew. Clark laid a hand on AC's shoulder.

"Remember what I said before; don't run away." he said softly. Looking at the resolved look on Clark's face convinced AC to make the second promise. "I promise to return…father." AC said. Atlan smiled back.

"Thank you, my son. Now, you two better get moving; I've kept you here long enough." Atlan stated. Debbie then hugged her brother. "I'll see you soon Orin." AC hugged her back. "Right back at you, sis."

He then moved to hug his father. "I'll be back before you know it." "I know you will." Atlan then looked sad. "I wish your mother was here; she would be proud of you today." AC nodded. "I know." AC then turned to Clark.

"Ready bro?" "Let's go." Clark answered. With that, they both walked out of the palace and headed for the main gate to the ocean. "So, where do we go now?" Clark had his answer ready.

"We head back to Smallville. After I check on Chloe, Lois and Jimmy, I'll give the other team members a call to meet us at the farm tonight." AC smiled. "Cool. Tell me about these guys you've recruited."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

"Dammit! I just can't get a hold of him!" Jimmy said frustratingly. He tried for (to him) the millionth time to get hold of a certain pastor to perform the wedding.

He and Chloe had wanted to speed up the wedding as soon as possible and to be done in private, with only Clark, Kara, and Lucy. While Jimmy tried to get hold of that pastor, Lois tried to get in touch with Lucy about the change wedding plans.

But they only managed to speak for a minute or two before the signal was lost. Lucy had just entered a dead zone where her latest flight took her. Before they lost each other, Lucy said her next flight to Metropolis isn't until tomorrow evening.

"Well, that's that; Lucy isn't coming back 'till tomorrow night. Maybe by then we can find some preacher to finally tie the knot." Lois remarked. "I hope so; I keep getting his voice mail." Jimmy said trustingly. Lois nodded.

"Tell me about. I still haven't heard from Clark or Kara today; not one call from them! Smallville's got to be back on his feet by now!" "Maybe there's a good reason why they haven't called back yet." Gabe said as he drank some coffee.

"Like what? The world's going to end?! Oh wait, that's what's happening now!!" Lois retorted in anger. Just then, Chloe came in holding her stomach. "What's with the shouting contest?" she asked, sounding painful. Lois sighed.

"Things are not going as the groom to be was hoping. Lucy's not coming home before tomorrow night, and Jimmy still can't get a hold of a guy to perform the ceremony." Gabe noticed that Chloe looked stressed. "Are you okay, honey?"

Chloe paused before shaking her head. "No…I think we have to go." Hearing this, everyone became more alert. "You mean…?" Jimmy asked nervously. Chloe slowly nodded. "When I got out of bed from my nap, I saw that my sheets were wet and I felt more kicking from in here." Chloe said at her stomach.

Lois went wide-eyed. "Wait…your water broke?!" Chloe nodded again. "I think the baby's coming." At this, the three of them got on their feet. "Oh my god! What are standing around here for?! We got a baby on the way! You guys get Chloe to the car and I'll call Clark and Kara again."

Chloe was about to say something but she felt another kick. "Lois…" "Don't talk Chloe, let's get you to the hospital now!" her father said as he and Jimmy took Chloe out with Lois right behind.

All she got was another voice mail, from both of them. "Oh come on! What could they possibly be doing that they can't call back?!" Lois sighed angrily as she hung up. "That's it! Uncle Gabe, you and Jimmy drive Chloe to the hospital. I'm going to drag the farm cousins' asses over there!"

As Lois got in a cab and rode away, and as she rode to the hospital, Chloe hoped that Clark was back from looking for Bart and AC by now.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Antarctica:

Deep below the ice of the South Pole, a large form rested in it's cold prison. But it no longer slept, for one of it's eyes had snapped open.

To be continued.


	52. Chapter 51 Gathering

Hi. The story is really picking up the pace this week. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 51: Gathering

Kent Farm:

The sun was setting as Clark and AC finally returned to the farm. While AC kept his costume on, Clark put some clothes on over his. Though Clark was glad to be home again, he can't relax yet; he still had a lot more matters to attend too.

"You think the girls and Jimmy are alright?" AC asked as he petted Shelby. "I hope so." Clark replied as he picked up his cell phone. But before he made a call after turning it on, he looked over at his home phone and saw a message light on.

"Looks like you got a call or two while you were gone." AC pointed out. Clark pushed the button to hear the message. It was from Lois, and the what she said surprised Clark and AC.

"Smallville, Kara, it's me. The three of us just had a visit from a bunch of psychopathic robots intent on taking Chloe, but thanks to a new hero called "Blue Beetle", we are just fine. We're are hiding out at Oliver's, along with Chloe's parents. Call back when you hear this, bye."

Clark couldn't believe his friends were in danger and, once again, wasn't around to save them. AC comforted him. "Don't worry; Lois said they're alright, thanks to this Blue Beetle guy." "Yeah." Clark said.

The Kryptonian was once more asking himself questions. _'Did Lucas send those robots to capture Chloe? Who is Blue Beetle? And why are both of Chloe's parents staying with them?'_

He immediately figured that Gabe and Moira were being used as bargaining chips to insure Chloe's cooperation. "I guess Blue Beetle must've saved them too." Clark said after voicing his thoughts.

"I think's time you gave them a call." AC said as he got himself a glass of water. Before he tried to call Lois, his cell said he had a voice message, and it was also from Lois. Clark sighed after hearing it.

"What's wrong now?" AC asked. Clark looked guilty. "Lois tried to reach my cell earlier today, but was frustrated she hadn't heard from me or Kara after her first call. She left another message on my cell to please call her when I get a chance."

"You got a chance now, bro." AC pointed out, drinking from his glass. Clark nodded as he speed dialed Lois' phone. A few seconds later, he got a hold of her. However, she got the first line in the conversation first and was not happy.

"_It's about damn time Smallville! Didn't you get any of my messages?!"_ Clark sighed again, hearing how angry Lois sounded. She was upset, but Clark was glad to hear her again.

"Lois, I'm sorry I haven't been calling you back; I was trying to get some rest and get better." he said after sniffing a bit to convince her. "I did get your messages. Is everyone alright?"

"_Most of us are fine, but Chloe needs you now more than ever." _"You're new pal Steel told me about Chloe's…baby. I couldn't believe what happened to her! How is she holding up?" he asked, concerned.

"_You can ask her that at the hospital."_ Lois bluntly said. Clark felt a little numb. "The hospital?" _"No, the county court house. Of course the hospital! Chloe's gone into labor!" _Clark was very shocked to hear it.

"Oh my god." he whispered, which got AC's attention. _"Her dad and Jimmy are driving her there in my car; I'm heading to your place in a cab." _"Wait, what about Chloe's mom?"

"_Oliver's security are keeping watch over her while we are gone. You and Kara be ready to go when I get there."_

"Kara's not here. She decided to stay in Minnesota with her mother for a while." he said convincingly. _"Guess it's just you and me then. I'll reach the farm in less than 15 minutes. See ya then. And Clark?" _"Yeah?" he asked.

"_Good to hear from you. Bye." _Lois said in a friendly tone before hanging up. Clark looked deeply stressed now. "What did Lois say? Is everything ok?" AC asked. Clark shook his head and told him of what Lois said.

AC was just as shocked and concerned as Clark was. "Oh man." was all he could say. "I know. I didn't expect Chloe to have the baby this soon, at least not until after we've rescued the others." AC sighed.

"We can't control things like this, man. Does this change plans a bit?" Clark nodded. "I planned to talk to Jor-El about the baby after the rescue, but it looks like I'll need to speak to him much sooner."

"What do you think he'll say?" the young Atlantean prince asked. "Nothing comforting, that's for sure." he said grimly. Clark then dialed a number on his phone. "You calling one of your guys?" AC asked. Clark nodded.

"Instead of meeting here, you and the others will meet at Oliver's apartment; that way, you will all be much closer to me if more of those robots try to take Chloe again. And you will keep watch over Chloe's mother. I'll have one of them pick you up on the way." he said.

AC nodded. "When do you plan on meeting up with the rest of us?" he asked. "Right after Chloe has the baby, I'll sneak out and talk to Jor-El at the fortress. Then I'll head back to Metropolis and meet up with the team." he stated.

"Good idea." AC said as Clark started calling in the troops for the upcoming mission.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

22 Sea View, Coast City:

Hal Jordan just came home after his work on the airfield today. He always enjoyed flying. But since he got that power ring from Abin Sur, his life's gotten even more exciting.

He barely got himself a light snack when his phone rang. This surprised Hal; he hardly ever got any phone calls unless it was business related, and he was done for the day. "Who the hell could that be?" Hal asked himself as he picked up the phone.

"Hello? Yes, this is Hal Jordan. Who am I talking too?" As soon as he heard who he was talking too, Hal got more serious. "I see. I guess my secret didn't get past you, huh? Need my help again?"

He listened what the caller wanted from him, and Hal was surprised. "A team, huh? Well, I guess if things are really that bad I don't see why I can't drop in." Hal then the heard the time and place of the meeting. "Right, I'll be there." he then hung up.

Hal then walked over to his bad and took out his power battery. He was surprised to hear from Steel, or rather Clark Kent, again after so long. He was even more surprised that he learned his secret somehow.

Somehow he didn't feel comfortable of working with others, but if Steel trusted them then Hal guessed he could put up with them. He put his ring on and held it in front of the battery.

"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power…Green Lantern's light!" Hal said as his ring was being charged for the mission to come.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Central City:

Barry Allen was studying for a chemical test in his studies. He was still doing well in his classes, though he is still badgered by being late a lot.

In the past, it was because he was made that way. But that's gotten more complicated when he became the Flash and started protecting his home town. But still, Barry didn't let his life struggles get to him.

He then got a phone call and picked up. He was expecting to hear from Iris, but the caller wasn't his girlfriend. "Clark! I didn't expect to hear from you this soon! Are you alright?" he asked.

Clark then told him that it was time for the team to get together. "Okay. Where and when is it happening?" He was given the time and place for the meeting. Barry understood. "Got it. I'll be there, and no…I _won't_ be late." he said with a chuckle as he hung up.

Barry began to think how dangerous this was going to be and that he'll have to be careful. Then he got another phone call, and this time it was from Iris. "Hi Iris! I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'll cut our date short tonight; something's come up."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Beacon Hill district, Boston:

Princess Diana and her friend, Julia Kapatelis, were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. "Thanks for helping me, Diana." The Amazon princess smiled. "You are welcome." she replied. "Vanessa, would you like to help dry the dishes?" Julia asked her only daughter.

A young girl with two ponytails, Vanessa agreed. "Sure." Together, the kitchen was nice and neat. Julia smiled at her daughter and Diana. When Diana first moved in, Vanessa was against it because she felt she and her mother were better off on their own.

Over time though, they became quite fond of each other. Just then the phone rang and Vanessa, who was nearest to it, picked up. "Kapatelis residence." she replied politely. The caller told her if "Diana Prince" was there.

She told the caller to hold. "Hey Diana, there's someone on the phone for you! Says it's important!" Surprised slightly, Diana walked over and Vanessa gave her the phone.

"This is Diana." She then recognized who it was instantly, and became serious. "It's time?" she asked. After Clark told her the all the needed info, Diana promised to be there. "I'll see you soon. Goodbye." she said as she hung up.

Julia and Vanessa looked confused. "Who was that, Diana?" Julia asked. Diana had a serious look as she answered. "A friend who needs my assistance."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Cave underneath Wayne Manor, Gotham City:

"My god." Bruce Wayne had just finished working on the substance he took from Ra's al Ghul's lair. When he first analyzed it, he was amazed and horrified by what it was capable of.

But that little container was not the only thing he was occupied with. When he returned from Nepal and began experimenting on the substance, he decided to check on the other locations from his huge computer mainframe in the cave.

He easily locked into his company's satellites and looked over the areas where he destroyed the rest of Ra's poison. To his horror, he saw that the poison had not been destroyed at all, but merely…evaporated.

"Is it _that_ bad, sir?" Alfred asked as he came down bringing Bruce his dinner. Bruce shook his head. "Ra's al Ghul is one sick demented man." Bruce then turned to his butler.

"Alfred, he's designed that poison so that in the event of an explosion it would mix in with the water in clouds. Those "poisoned" rain clouds are about to down pour on various parts of the world! Everyone who comes into contact with that rain water will be dead within hours, whether they have superhuman abilities or not!"

The old man nearly dropped the tray in shock. "Good heavens! Lots of people will die!" he exclaimed. "Thousands…maybe even millions." Bruce said grimly as he rubbed his eyes.

"He must've designed this as a back up incase it didn't get sent to people as "sports drinks". That bastard." he cursed. "I couldn't agree with you more sir." Alfred replied firmly.

Bruce then turned back to the container. "But thankfully, I have a way to counteract it." he said as he picked up the container. "Sir?" Alfred asked, confused. "I've reengineered this batch of poison into an antidote. I'll need to send a sample to Lucius to mass produce and…"

The phone on Bruce's desk rang and immediately suspected who it might be. "Is this the "other" phone call I expected from you?" After confirming it, Clark informed Bruce that he needs him to meet up with him and other members of a team.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You never mentioned this in our last conversation, Clark. What is this about?" Clark told him that he'll know when meets everyone. "Still want to keep me in the dark are you? Fine, I'll meet you there. Besides, there's something I need to discuss with you too."

When Clark asked if it was anything serious, Bruce closed his eyes. "Let's just say it concerns…the weather. I'll fill you in more when we meet up." After he hung up, he turned to Alfred.

"Seems my work is never done, Alfred." he stated as he began eating from his tray. "Was that the man who called you before your meeting with Talia?" the old butler asked. "Yeah. And it sounds like he'll be the only one I'm meeting."

Bruce then turned his attention to a smile vile which he gave Alfred. "This is a sample of the antidote. Have it delivered directly to Lucius, and tell him what it's for and that he'll need to make plenty of it."

"Very well, sir. In the meantime, I'll say "hello" to Mr. Fox for you." Alfred said as he left with the vile. Bruce laced his fingers and leaned forward, looking pensive. _'From what I overheard from Ra's and Talia…hell is about to be unleashed on Earth. And I have a feeling what Clark wants to discuss with me and these other people has to do with that…'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kent Farm:

Clark turned to AC after making his last call. "It's settled; the team will be meeting at Queen Tower after sunset." he stated. AC smiled. "Great. Can't wait to meet everyone. They sound hard core from what you've said about them."

Before Clark could reply, they heard someone knocking at the front door. "Clark! It's Lois, get your absent ass out here!" she shouted. "I'm coming!" he replied before turning to AC.

"Wait out by the barn; one of the our guys will pick you up on the way to Oliver's." he instructed. "Cool. Let me how everything with Chloe goes, bro." AC said as he headed out the back, while Clark made for the front door.

When he opened it, Lois looked positively annoyed. "Ready to go, farm boy?" Clark was used to her attitude. "Ready to take a breath and stop being mad at me?" he asked rhetorically. Lois groaned.

"Just get in the cab." she ordered as they walked away from the house and into the cab. Once they were on their way, Clark began to apologize. "I'm really sorry for being unreachable these past few days." Lois looked over at him, still miffed.

"You sure sound better from your cold." she said, sounding like she didn't hear the apology. Clark seemed amused. "I took plenty of fluids and got lots of rest like any doctor would suggest." he said smoothly.

After a minute or two, Lois seemed to have finally calmed down and, to Clark's surprise, hugged him. "I'm not mad at you anymore, Clark. You're forgiven." she said. Clark smiled. "Thank you. So, tell me exactly what happened at the Talon."

To make sure the cab driver wouldn't hear, Lois whispered everything into Clark's ear as best she could. Several minutes later, Clark was even more shocked than when he heard Lois' first message.

"I'm surprised Chloe didn't go into labor after all that." he said in a stunned voice. "Same here; she's definitely made of strong stuff Clark." "Her baby might be made of strong stuff too." Clark replied.

He began to think what exactly the baby will look like after it is born. Being conceived by Brainiac in an unnatural way, there is no telling what to expect. It could be anything; Clark began to speculate that it might not be a baby at all…

"Well, whatever Chloe's going to deliver, I just hope she knows what she's doing by keeping it." Clark was shocked once more. "What?!" Lois nodded.

"Yeah; Chloe insists on keeping the baby after it's born. I'm there for her, but personally, I think it's a bad idea." "You may be right." Clark said. He then changed the subject. "Who is this Blue Beetle that saved you?"

Lois shrugged. "I have no idea; the guy just popped out of nowhere and saved the day. But from what I could tell, he sounded like a teenage boy. Not a "big boy" per say, but he seemed alright…considering he's wearing that same armor that possessed Lucy."

"But didn't Steel say it's no longer a threat? Maybe the scarab somehow got reprogrammed into being something helpful. And after what he did, that may be the case." Lois shrugged. "I guess. Right now, I just want us to get to Chloe and help her through this." Clark had put a hand on hers. "We will." he said softly.

Lois looked down and, after seeing Clark's hand on hers, squeezed it a bit. This surprised Clark as much as it surprised Lois. Just then, the cab stopped at Metropolis General Hospital.

"Here's your stop love birds." the man said. "We're just friends." Lois said stubbornly as she and Clark got out of the cab and paid him for the trips. "Have a nice night." he said before he drove off.

"Here we are." Clark said as he and Lois stepped inside and asked for Chloe's room.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

El Paso, Texas:

Jaime Reyes, after finishing his homework early, decided to check up on Chloe and her family in Metropolis. He bonded with the scarab and became Blue Beetle again, and then flew off into the night sky. He hoped they were all okay.

To be continued.


	53. Chapter 52 Delivery

Hey. Time for some big events to happen here! Enjoy!!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 52: Delivery

Metropolis General Hospital:

Clark and Lois had found and walked into Chloe's hospital room, which was located on the 4th floor. They found her, her father and Jimmy keeping her company. They all smiled as they saw both Lois and Clark, especially Chloe.

"Hey Clark. Feeling…better?" Chloe asked awkwardly. Clark smiled back as he sat in a chair next to her. "A lot better, thanks. You?" he asked, concerned for Chloe's health. Chloe laid her hands on her stomach.

"Get back to me on that after I have this baby." she replied jokingly. Clark knew that inside, Chloe was scared to death about finally having the baby and refused to show it. After all, it was Brainiac that did this to her.

Clark then turned to see Gabe. "Good to see you, Clark. It's been years, hasn't it?" Gabe asked as he shook Clark's hand. "Yeah, Mr. Sullivan. It has been a while. Glad you're okay." he said. Clark then moved on to Jimmy.

"How are you?" he asked. Jimmy did his usual "Olsen" smile. "You know me; always on top of things!" he said in a optimistic way. Clark chuckled as he looked back at Chloe.

"Lois filled me in on the way here. Jarvis' robots must've done a number on the Talon trying to get you." he said. Chloe nodded. "No kidding! Thank God Blue Beetle came when he did. He saved all of us!"

"Have you seen him since he left?" Clark asked. Everyone shook their heads. "Nope; probably busy back in whatever town he flew from." Lois answered. "But I'm sure we'll see him again soon…at least, maybe." Jimmy said, hopeful.

Just then, Gabe got up. "I'm going out for some coffee; I need the energy! Anyone else want anything?" he asked, with his eyes darting from Lois and Jimmy to the door. Getting the message, they both got up.

"Now that you mention it Uncle Gabe, I could use a picker upper myself. You Jimmy?" she asked. "Oh, oh yeah! Right behind you guys!" "Sweetie, do you want anything while we're out?" Gabe asked her daughter.

"Just some water, please. I don't exactly have an appetite tonight." she replied. They then hurried out of the room, leaving just Clark to be with Chloe. Clark and Chloe both knew that they left so that they could catch up, thinking the two haven't seen each other since Clark's trip.

"Chloe, are you sure you're okay?" Clark asked, truly concerned. Chloe sighed. "I'm close to giving birth to something Brainiac literally stuck inside me…does that sound like anything in the realm of "okay"?"

Chloe then felt sharp pain as she had a contraction. "Ow! Ohh!" she yelped. "Take it easy Chloe, just breath in…and breath out." he instructed calmly. He repeated for another moment or two before Chloe relaxed.

"Thanks, Clark. That one came out of nowhere." Chloe said, breathing hard. "Just hang on Chloe, it will be over soon." he replied calmly. "Easier said than done. But right now, tell me what happened after you left. Were you able to find Bart and AC?"

As quickly as he could, Clark filled Chloe in on all the adventures he had after he left Smallville again. Chloe became surprised and amazed with every detail as she learned about Clark's chat with Talia and his phone call warning Bruce Wayne about her and her father.

Clark went on to tell her about meeting Diana and having her join his team. He told her about finding Bart and meeting Barry, who's family ties he kept a secret due to the promise Bart had him make. Chloe was still surprised that Bart and Barry had so much in common though, but did not elaborate.

But when Clark got to the part with Bart dying at the hands of Cobalt Blue and telling her of Bart's last words, Chloe looked choked up. "Oh my god. Bart…I had _no_ idea he…cared about me that much. I always thought he liked to flirt when he had an opportunity."

Clark nodded as he looked sad too. "He really did care, and regretted you two never had a date before you met Jimmy." he said softly. Chloe sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye. "We could've had a nice night about before Jimmy came, but…" she couldn't bring herself to finish.

Clark continued with saying that after beating Cobalt Blue, Barry took Bart's place on Clark's team when the time came. "I'm glad Barry decided to help out." Chloe said. "Me too. He's a good guy." Clark commented.

"You found AC?" Chloe asked. "In Florida." Clark said simply. "Anything exciting happened when you and your fishy pal got back together?" she asked curiously, hoping to hear some more excitement.

Clark hated to disappoint her, but he and AC swore to keep Atlantis a secret after their adventure there. "Nope, afraid not. We just had a quick swim, and then headed back to Smallville. Lois picked me up a while afterward." Clark finished.

Though down, Chloe was still relieved to be up to date. "I'm so sorry about Bart. But at least you got AC back in the game." she said. Clark nodded. "Yeah, and pretty soon he won't be alone."

"Meaning what?" Chloe asked. "I've arranged for AC and the rest of the team to meet at Oliver's, where they will wait for me to discuss how to save Oliver and the others." Chloe nodded, wishing she could meet up with them too.

"What about that dream you had when you slept at Barry's?" she inquired. Clark shrugged. "I don't know about that. It only happened once, but I think whoever tried to contact me before will try again. I was starting to think though, maybe it's…"

Whoever Clark was speculating that could've tried to reach him, he did not get a chance to say. Lois and the others came in at that moment. "Hey guys. Talked about anything interesting?" Lois asked.

Chloe shrugged. "Nothing out of the ordinary." "Which means squat in this town." Jimmy added, causing the whole room to laugh. Suddenly, Chloe's laugh became a scream. It caused everyone to jump at once.

"Chloe! A contraction?!" Gabe asked. Nodding, Chloe started her breathing exercises again. He and Jimmy sat next to her, coaching through it while Clark and Lois back up a little. Chloe relaxed again shortly afterward.

"I'm alright." she said, exhausted. Just then, a male doctor walked in. "Hi, I'm Dr. Parker. I heard the patient as I was walking here. Another contraction, Miss Sullivan?" he smiled. Chloe nodded. "I think…they're starting to get closer." she barely said above a whisper.

He nodded. "I'll be monitoring you for a little bit. If these contractions are coming closer, you just might see your baby shortly." Everyone smiled in comfort, including Chloe.

Clark then looked out the room's window, which was dark now, and wondered if the team had gotten together yet.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

While everyone was at the hospital, AC and Diana had just flown in at Oliver's apartment. AC told her where to find it. "Thanks for the lift." he replied gratefully. Diana smiled. "It was my pleasure." she said.

She looked around, curious. "This "Oliver Queen" has an…interesting taste of living." AC smirked. "He's a rich guy; they usually have good taste." "I see. The other members Clark called should be here shortly." AC nodded.

"By the way, my name maybe AC but when I'm out on the field…I'm Aquaman." AC said proudly. Diana nodded. "You got your own codename?" he asked. The Amazon shrugged.

"Well, I have been thinking about "Wonder Woman". It was Clark who first called me that." "From what I've heard, it suits you." AC replied, studying her. "You think so?" Diana asked. Her new companion nodded. "Definitely."

"Thank you." she said, smiling. As Diana studied an interesting flower vase, AC cleared his throat. "Um, Clark said you're a princess." "I am." Diana confirmed. "Why?"

"It's just that…I may not look or act like it, but I'm a prince." he said hesitantly. Diana turned from the vase to AC, surprised. "You are? Of what land AC?" she asked, excited. AC felt a little hot under the collar.

"Well, it's a far away place…you may not have heard of it. I only found out earlier today." he said. "What is it? Please tell me." she asked. AC shrugged. "Sorry beautiful; I kinda promised to keep that to myself." Diana nodded.

"I understand perfectly. I do not wish to tell of my homeland either to just anyone. I did tell Clark, but I still kept it's location a secret." "At least you got to grow up where you were born." AC replied, a little down about not knowing life in Atlantis.

Diana looked sympathetic. "You grew up away from your home?" "It's complicated." he said. Before another word was spoken, something bright and green just flew in from the window outside.

Green Lantern noticed AC and Diana as he walked in. "You two must be part of Steel's team, huh?" he asked. Surprised by him, they nodded. "I am Diana, and this is my comrade, Arthur Curry…or rather, Aquaman. And yourself?" He removed his mask.

"Name's Hal Jordan, aka Green Lantern. Helped your pal out of a tight jam a while back. Should be interesting to hear what he needs help with this time." he said confidently. AC heard from Clark how powerful Green Lantern was, but thought he seemed to sure of himself.

"You don't look nervous." he noted. Hal grunted. "What do I have to be nervous about? I'm not afraid of anything." he said with a smile. Just then, a blur of red came in and they felt a gust of wind.

"Hi everyone, I hope I'm not too late." Flash said as he looked at everyone. "You must be the "Flash", right?" AC asked. Barry nodded as he took his mask off. "Yes. And my real name is Barry Allen."

Once the others introduced themselves, Hal walked over to him. "So speedy, got any ideas what's going down?" he asked. Barry seemed annoyed by that name. "I have an idea, but we should wait until Clark gets here for confirmation."

Hal snorted. "Don't like sharing with the crowd?" he challenged. Barry remained calm despite Hal's attitude. "All I'm saying is we just wait for everyone to be here." Hal walked towards the couch and sat down. "And I think you need to be less arrogant and more cautious." Barry replied.

"Hate to disappoint you, but I'm not the cautious type." Hal remarked. Barry sighed, giving up. After a moment of silence, Diana spoke up. "Excuse me, but I think there is at least one more team member to wait for before Clark returns."

That instant, the loud roar of an engine can be heard from outside. The others looked out the window to see the source. "What the hell is _that_?!" AC asked as he pointed up.

What the others saw was a odd, black plane hovering above the building. As they kept watching, the cockpit opened and a black suited man jumped out. His cape acted like a parachute and slowed his decent towards the balcony.

Batman landed in front of the team and stood tall. His plane then began to land on the roof of the building. "Show off." Hal spat out at Batman's graceful landing. Batman's stone like expression intimidated the rest of team, except for Hal.

The young dark knight observed the others as he walked into the apartment. "You must be this "team" that Clark Kent told me about." he said after a moment. He didn't seem to have heard Hal's comment at all.

"Let me guess, Batman?" AC asked. Batman nodded. "And you all would be?" After introductions, Hal came forward, frowning. "You know, we've all shared our real names and faces. Why not show us yours Bats?" he inquired.

"I'm not as "open" as most people are, Jordan." he replied coldly. Hal smirked. "Too bad. What kind of special powers do _you_ have, besides jumping off of planes?" His cocky attitude started to get on Batman's nerves.

"You'll see soon enough." Hal chuckled. "Oh I get it, you're challenging me! You think what you can do is better than what _I _can do?! Well Batman, bring it on!" he dared as he poked Batman's chest. Batman did nothing but stare.

"When you got that glowing ring, did it fry some of your brain cells? Because fighting me would not be a good idea from that thick head of yours." The others gasped as the two argued. Hal laughed.

"Oh ho! That sounds like a challenge to me! Let's have at it!" But before any of them could throw a punch, Barry zoomed between them. "Stop it, both of you! We are here as a _team_! Clark would not approve of us fighting each other instead of our enemies!"

"Yeah, cool off you two!" AC agreed. "Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves." Diana scolded. A few tense moments later, Batman and Hal turned and walked away from one another.

"If Clark expects me to work with _him_, he doesn't know me that well." Hal said to himself, sitting at the table. "My thoughts exactly." Batman replied as he walked back out onto the balcony, looking into the night.

Barry sighed. "Guess not everyone's going to be getting along, huh?" "They will, with enough time." Diana reassured. AC then took out his cell phone from his bag to call Clark that the team was together.

But before he could dial, Batman said something ominous. "Arthur, are you sure everyone in Clark's team is here now?" he asked from the balcony. "Positive; besides him, it's just the five of us. Why?" Batman then pointed into the sky.

"We are about to have more company." The others gathered beside him to look where he pointed, Hal and Barry having their masks back on. Sure enough, something was flying there way pretty fast. "What is it?" Diana asked. "Maybe it's Clark." Barry asked.

"No way bro; he would let us know when he'd be coming in." AC pointed out. The team backed away, but stood ready as a person in blue and black armor landed on the balcony.

Hal recognized the armor as the same one that took over that young girl, Lucy, when he met Clark and his friends. Their other friend, Brian, reprogrammed the scarab and it separated from her. _'Looks like that bug found another host. But is he here for trouble?'_ Hal thought as he pointed his ring at him.

Blue Beetle stood surprised as more costumed people stood before him, expecting to fight him. "Hey, who are all you guys?" he asked. "We should be asking you the same question." Batman stated.

The young hero looked a little scared. "Look, I'm not looking for a fight! I'm the Blue Beetle, a hero from El Paso!" he answered. AC was surprised to meet the hero he heard from Clark. "A little far from Texas, aren't you?" Green Lantern pointed out. Blue Beetle nodded.

"I came to check on people that lived here. I saved their lives recently and I wanted to see if they were still safe." "There was nobody here when we arrived." Diana confirmed. Blue Beetle was surprised further.

"What people are you talking about?" Flash asked. AC stepped toward the young man. "I know what he's talking about." Everyone else was stunned as AC told them from what he heard from Clark.

When he was finished, they all lowered their guard. "So, where are Chloe and her family now?" Blue Beetle asked. "They are at the hospital. Chloe's going to have her baby." Flash was surprised.

Besides AC, Barry was the only person in the group who knew the true nature of Chloe's baby. He hoped Chloe would be alright, in spite of what she might bring into the world.

"Well, not everyone actually. Her mother, Moira, is still here…safe." Blue Beetle thanked him as AC led him to the guest bedroom, where he figure Moira would be staying. Curious, the others followed.

Sure enough, they found Moira resting comfortably on the bed. "I do not understand. Why is Chloe's mother here instead of with her family? Her daughter surely needs her support to get through this." Diana stated, confused.

"Yeah, why is she just sleeping?" Hal asked. AC walked forward. "She's catatonic." he simply said, which shocked everyone. "How did this happen to her?" Barry asked.

"Long story short, she became this way after the first Smallville meteor shower. It sorta damaged her mind and landed her in a mental hospital." AC explained. He then went on about what Oliver told him about her being manipulated by Lex and how Clark and Chloe freed her and had her moved to a safe location.

"And she was doing okay there, until Jarvis' robots came along." "Until I saved her." Blue Beetle finished. "Oh my god. Poor Chloe; not having her mother for years must've been rough. I know what that's like." he said sadly, thinking of his own mother.

Batman came approached Moira. "You said she's infected with meteor rock radiation?" he asked. AC nodded. "No one found a cure for her?" he inquired further.

"Nope. Well, I heard there was one guy, Dr. Knox, who could fix up meteor freaks and make them into normal people again. But his surgery caused people to lose a good deal of memories. Also, he's kind of "out of reach" due to him killing some of his patients."

The group stood in surprise. Just then, Batman took out a small container of pale liquid. "What is that?" Diana asked. "Something I've been working on recently." "What are you going to do with it?" Blue Beetle asked.

Batman stared at the container, and then Moira. Before he could answer, Hal grabbed Batman's wrist. "Hold it! You're planning to use that stuff on her, aren't you?!" he accused. Batman looked over at Hal, and he looked menacing.

"I'm going to say this once. Take your hand…off me." "Batman, what are you…?" Barry tried to ask, but Batman had cut him off. "I'm going to see if this works on Moira. It might…help her." "In what way, melt her from the inside out?!"

Batman ignored Hal. Barry then intervened. "Look, I know Clark wouldn't ask Batman to be here if he didn't trust him. If he trusts him, shouldn't the rest of us do the same?" he reasoned.

Diana, AC, and Blue Beetle agreed. Hal was much more reluctant. "I don't care what Clark thinks. I don't like Batman…and I don't trust people I don't like!" he shouted.

"Green Lantern, please. For us to be a team, we need to trust in each other. If Batman has some kind of cure for Moira, we should let him use it. For her daughter's sake." Diana pleaded.

Hal gradually calmed down and seemed to listen to her. Finally, Hal released Batman's arm. "You better god damn know what you're doing." Hal muttered softly. Batman still did not look at the cocky hero. "I _always_ know what I'm doing."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis General Hospital, an hour later:

"Okay, these contractions are much closer now. Time for a trip to the operating room." Dr. Parker said as he and Gabe helped Chloe get onto a stretcher. "Let me go with her. That's my baby she's carrying." Jimmy insisted.

The doctor nodded. "Very well, then follow me." One by one, the group followed the stretcher that had their loved one on it. Clark was up at front.

"Chloe, you'll do fine." "It will be over before you know it!" Chloe smiled from Clark and Lois' words of comfort. "Thanks for being here, all of you." she said before she, Dr. Parker, and Jimmy went in the operating room.

Now everyone waited out in the hall outside. Out of all them, Clark was the most worried. He knew Chloe for years and wished nothing will go wrong. Lois had similar thoughts and feelings for her cousin. Gabe looked just plain worried.

"Don't worry. Chloe is a strong young lady; she'll pull through this." Lois said to her uncle. Gabe smiled as he hugged her. Clark began to walk over to the vending machines to grab snacks for everyone.

But as before he got around the corner, he saw someone walking in he never expected to see. "Have I missed anything?" Moira Sullivan asked as she smiled at her family and Clark.

Clark, Lois, and Gabe stared at her with pure shock. "M…Moira?!" Gabe asked. His ex-wife nodded. "Hello Gabe. It's good to see you." She walked over and hugged him and Lois. "You've grown into quite a beautiful woman, Lois." she remarked at her niece.

Lois chuckled embarrassingly. "Uh, you know…it's just me." Moira then turned over to Clark. "I'm glad to see you here too, Clark." Clark nodded. "Same here. But how…?"

His phone rang before he could ask. He saw that it was from AC. "Excuse me. You guys catch up, I need to take this." He walked into the restroom to be more private.

"What's up AC? Has everyone arrived?" _"Everyone, plus an extra." _Clark narrowed his eyes. "Extra?" _"That Blue Beetle guy Lois told you about? Well, he's here too."_

Clark looked surprised. "What's he doing over there?" _"Came to check on Chloe and her family. I filled him in on all the details, including why we've all gotten together."_

"I see. I've got a surprise of my own at the hospital. It's…" _"Chloe's mom just shown up, right?"_ Clark widened his eyes. "How did you know?" _"You're not going to believe this, but Batman gave Moira some kind of liquid and it seemed to make her all normal again. When I told her about Chloe, she left without another word."_

Clark was astounded that Batman did that. "He really cured her? What exactly did he use?" _"He refused to give the details until you get over here. Do you know how Chloe's doing?"_

"She's in the operating room right now, having the baby." _"Man, hope she pulls through!"_ "You and me both. Hold on." Clark said as Gabe walked into the restroom. "Are you almost finished with your phone call?" he asked.

"Just about. Any word about Chloe?" Gabe smiled. "It's a girl; she's perfect! I'm a grandfather!" he said as he walked back out, excited and relieved. Clark was numb for a moment before he got his voice back. _"Who was that?" _AC asked.

Clark smiled. "Chloe's dad. She's now the mother of a baby girl." AC didn't reply for a few seconds. _"A girl? So, there's nothing, you know…"freaky" about her?"_ Clark shrugged.

"Gabe didn't seem frightened at all. Just happy and excited. Tell the others I'll be there soon." _"And Blue Beetle?"_ "Him too. Tell Batman thanks for me." _"No problem, bro. Catch you on the flip side." _AC said before hanging up.

Clark walked out of the restroom and headed back to the operating room. When Clark came in, he found Jimmy, Lois and both Sullivans standing over Chloe and her new daughter.

Gabe was right; the baby did look perfect. Nothing unusual about her at all, at least in appearance. Chloe looked tired but happy. Clark smiled at her best friend. "She looks beautiful…just like her mother." Jimmy commented.

"She certainly does." Chloe said, holding her little girl. "How are you feeling?" Lois asked. "Like I just ran a marathon." she answered bluntly. Moira stared affectionately at her new granddaughter.

"Look at her. My little Cub Reporter…a mother." Chloe smiled big time, finally having her own mother back. "I'm glad you're in my life again mom." Moira kissed Chloe's forehead. "I'm glad to be in your life again, honey."

"Have you thought of a name, Chloe?" Clark asked. Chloe smiled down at her new bundle. "I've been thinking about…Chelsea." Everyone seemed to like it.

"That's a nice name." Gabe said. The others agreed. "Then Chelsea it is." Jimmy said. As they all stared at little Chelsea, Clark couldn't help but still be worried.

Even though the baby appeared normal, Clark had to remember that it was still Brainiac's offspring. And it comes to Brainiac, nothing is ever what it seems. He needed to speak to Jor-El now before meeting the team.

And Clark dreaded what his father would have to say about the baby.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Antarctica:

Penguins called out for their mates on to join them in the water. It's mate was just about to meet over to him when a loud boom erupted. Something large had just broken free and walked out from the pit that held it prisoner.

The android Amazo appeared and stared off into space. But his eyes were blackened and a symbol appeared on his forehead. It consisted of three circles forming a upside down triangle, connected by lines.

Amazo smiled deviously. "At last…it is born." Without another word, he flew into the sky and disappeared.

To be continued.


	54. Chapter 53 League

Hey. Ready for more action? 'Cause I am! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 53: League

The Fortress of Solitude:

Clark had just walked back into his fortress, intent on talking to his father. "Jor-El…I need to talk to you." he said loudly. _**"Kal-El, what is troubling you?"**_ Jor-El asked his son. Clark looked grim for what he was about to say.

"It's my friend, Chloe. Several months ago, Brainiac attacked her and put her in a coma. She returned to normal when I destroyed him. I thought Chloe was free of him…but I was wrong." he answered, emphasizing the last word.

"_**What has befallen your friend?"**_ Clark swallowed. "Somehow, Brainiac impregnated Chloe. And just now, she has given birth to a baby girl. She named her Chelsea." Clark then waited for his father's response.

What Jor-El said definitely troubled Clark. _**"This is very disturbing, Kal-El. The one you call Brainiac has always been unpredictable, but even I never imagined it could reproduce through an organic life form…such as a human."**_

"Father, why did Brainiac do this to Chloe?" Clark asked, worried. _**"I do not know. Brainiac has always despised the human race; it would seem extremely unlikely that he would conceive offspring through one of them."**_

This angered Clark. "Well, he did! And now Chloe and her parents are at risk!" _**"Has the child displayed any unusual activity since birth?"**_ Jor-El asked. Clark sighed. "No, at least not yet. She seemed normal, but I don't think it will last."

Jor-El seemed to agree as he replied. _**"I believe you are right."**_ Clark thought of something, desperate as it may be. "Is it possible you could suppress, or even erase, the part of Chelsea that she inherited from Brainiac? You managed to free Brainiac 5 from his ancestor's control, so this should be something similar."

His father's reply was not encouraging. _**"It would be unwise to bring the offspring of Brainiac into the fortress. That could very well be part of it's plan." **_"Good point." Clark said, remembering the damage Brainiac caused the last time he was in the fortress.

"What can I do then?" Clark asked desperately. _**"For now, watch over Chloe and the child. If it shows any sign of being hostile, let me know at once. While the birth of a child is often a blessing, this time…it may be a curse."**_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Some distance from Metropolis:

A battalion of large robots were flying back to Metropolis. This army was twice as large as the last one. Jarvis Kord was sure that this time they will not fail. It took him a while to build this new army, but he felt confident that he'll find Chloe again.

He sent his new robots from his hidden location toward Metropolis, where he was sure the pregnant girl was hiding. He was watching a monitor where he could see what the robots are seeing, thanks to a built in camera.

However, he detected an anomaly heading towards his robots...and it was approaching fast. "What the hell?" he asked himself as he had one of his robots turn it's head to see what was coming.

He barely had a glimpse of a huge man with a weird, triangle like symbol on it's forehead before his screen became filled with static. As he switched from robot to another, each one changing from the giant to static, it became clear.

That giant was destroying all the robots he sent. "No! This cannot be happening!" Jarvis yelled as he lost his 19th robot. In a matter of seconds, only one remained. This time, the giant didn't destroy it right away.

Jarvis finally got a good look at the beast, and he was in plain shock: It was Amazo. "Impossible! I thought it was somehow destroyed? Why is it attacking my robots?!" he asked incredulously.

"_I do not want your primitive machines getting in my way, Mr. Kord." _Amazo answered, which surprised Jarvis even more. _"That's right; I'm speaking to you through your robot's visual and audio uplinks." _Jarvis was outraged.

"Why are you…?" _"I have plans of my own for Chloe Sullivan's baby. And just to make sure you don't send more of them after me…"_ Jarvis then picked up an energy surge coming through his mainframe. It began to glow and spark as the monitor flashed.

An energy burst had slammed Jarvis in the face. As he screamed in agony, for what felt like an eternity. But all too soon, the energy dissipated and Jarvis fell to the floor. His face was fried to a crisp as he lay dead in his lab.

Some security guards came in at once and found Jarvis's corpse. Horrified, one of them made a call. "Mr. Luthor, we have a major problem!"

Meanwhile, Amazo dropped the last robot into the sea along with the others. "Now nothing will get in my way." He then continued towards his destination: Metropolis.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis General Hospital:

Chloe was resting comfortably in the hospital. She was alone; her parents and Lois headed down to the lobby. Jimmy had left for the restroom. The timing couldn't be better as Clark super sped inside.

"Next time, could you knock?" Chloe asked, startled. Clark smiled. "Sorry. How are you?" Chloe sat up. "I'm still tired, but definitely glad not being pregnant anymore." "And Chelsea?" Clark asked, concern in his voice.

"In a nursery in the hospital. She seems to be fine." Chloe replied, smiling. "For now, maybe." Clark said. Chloe looked concerned now. "What exactly did Jor-El say about Chelsea?" Her friend hesitated, but answered.

"He doesn't know why Brainiac impregnated you, but is very surprised that it did at all. He has no idea what to expect from her. He told me to keep an eye on her." he explained. Chloe's eyes widened with fear.

"So my baby could be an instrument of chaos?!" she panicked. Clark looked stern. "It's too soon to tell, but it's what Jor-El believes." He then turned to the door. "I'm going to meet up with the team at Oliver's. We'll discuss how to save the others. You should be safe here."

Chloe nodded. "Do what you need to do Clark. I'll be fine." she said with a smile. Clark smiled back as he super sped out. As Chloe laid back down, she failed to notice a monstrous form floating outside her window.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

After dressing into his costume (minus the shades), he entered the apartment. He smiled to see all of his new allies together. Everyone saw him and walked toward him, even Blue Beetle, whom Clark noticed.

"I'm glad to see you all again. But even more so, to see you all together." Clark said as the group gathered around. The team shook hands with Clark, glad to see him again.

"We were beginning to wonder if you were going to show up at all." Green Lantern said. Clark still smiled. "Very funny." He then turned to Blue Beetle. "You must be the Blue Beetle, right?" The young hero nodded.

"Yeah, that's me." he said, nervous. Clark shook his armored hand. "Thanks for saving Chloe and her family. They mean a lot to me." Blue Beetle chuckled. "All in a days work." Clark then turned to Batman.

"And I want to thank you for…" but Batman cut him off. "Arthur gave me your message. I'm sure you're appreciative about it." Clark nodded. "I am." He then looked at everyone. "So, has everyone got acquainted?"

AC answered. "Yeah, but…not everybody's being nice." Clark raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" "Batman and Green Lantern aren't getting along so well." Flash answered. Clark turned to Batman and Green Lantern, eyes narrowed.

"Did you two have a fight?" Neither of them answered, refusing to meet each other's eyes. Diana told him of what happened, or rather what almost happened. Clark nodded, not pleased.

"I'm not happy about this. I've chosen you two to be a part of my team because I know I can trust and rely on you. Fighting among ourselves won't be helping anyone. I expect better from now on." he said firmly.

Batman said nothing, while Green Lantern merely grunted. Before Clark could continue, Batman interrupted. "Before you tell us why we're here, I need to discuss something urgent." he said in his growl like voice.

Clark nodded. "You said something like that on the phone. Besides, I wanted to ask you what you used to cure Moira Sullivan." Batman nodded. But Clark interrupted him. "But first, how come I've shown my identity to the others, but you haven't?"

"You expect me to show my face to people I only just met?" he answered. Thinking about it, Clark understood. "Alright, suit yourself. Now tell me about the cure you gave Moira."

"First I have to tell you what I've learned since our first chat on the phone." Batman replied. Clark nodded. Batman then told him of everything that he went through since meeting Talia, right up to his discovery of the poison's back up purpose.

Clark was surprised by Talia's behavior, but Clark was downright shocked about hearing about Ra's' back up plan. "You knew most of this already, didn't you?" Batman accused. Clark confessed.

"I did, but I didn't know about putting the poison in the rain clouds. I can't believe how insane that man is." Batman couldn't agree more, but still pressed the point. "If you knew Ra's al Gul's plan, why didn't you just tell me?"

"I wanted you to find out for yourself. That way, you can understand exactly what you were up against. And more importantly, how much it is part of a much bigger plan." Clark explained. Batman seemed to have understood.

"What bigger plan?" Blue Beetle asked. The others were curious also. "I'll explain it. The reason I had you all come here…" but before he could begin, his cell phone rang. It was Chloe.

"_Clark! Are you there?!" _she shouted. She sounded frightened. "Chloe, I'm here! What's wrong?" _"It's Amazo…he's back!" _Clark felt like an anvil just landed in his stomach.

Last time he fought that android, it nearly killed him and Kara. Clark thought someone, maybe Lucas, found and reactivated him somehow. Chloe continued. _"He was just floating right outside my window, staring at me!"_ "What did he do?"

"_After he shattered the window and flew in, he gave me a message to pass on to you. He wants you to face him in the Arctic right now. He wants to…settle the score with you."_ Clark nodded. "I'll take care of him Chloe. Are you or anybody else hurt?"

"_I'm fine; after he gave me the message he flew off. But Clark, something's different about him."_ Clark didn't like the sound of that. "Different? How?"

"_He had a strange symbol on his forehead. It looked like three circles connected by lines, in the shape of an upside down triangle. And his eyes…they were black."_ This alarmed Clark. While the symbol was unfamiliar, the black eyes certainly lit a bulb in his head. He did not like it at all.

"Thanks for telling me Chloe. I'll stop him once and for all." he said with conviction. _"Clark, last time you and that tin plated brute fought he came close to killing you…and that was with Kara helping you. You can't beat him alone!"_

Clark smiled. "I won't be alone." he answered, looking over at his teammates. "Stay safe Chloe. Bye." he said before hanging up. He then faced his team. "What was all that about?" AC asked. Clark looked serious.

"Okay, there's been a slight change of plans. Before we start on the mission I called you for, we have something else to do…"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Arctic, near the Fortress:

Amazo stood on the frozen lands of the Arctic with his arms crossed, waiting. He knew that Kal-El would accept his challenge and come to him. He then saw a red and blue man flying towards his position. Amazo smiled; everything was going as planned.

But as Steel landed, Amazo saw that he did not come alone. Behind him, five more costumed people had appeared and landed beside their comrade. Amazo smirked. "I see you brought some friends with you. Where's your cousin at?" he asked arrogantly.

"Never mind her; it's us you need to be worried about…Brainiac." Amazo widened his eyes in surprise. Steel's friends looked puzzled. "_Brainiac?_" Wonder Woman asked. The android's smile returned.

"Saw through my disguise, Kal-El?" Steel did nothing but stare. "When you possessed Brian and attacked Amazo, you downloaded a part of yourself inside him. Am I right?" Brainiac gave a not so friendly chuckle.

"Correct, Kal-El. Just another way of "insuring" my survival." "Tell me why you impregnated Chloe!!" Steel shouted angrily. Brainiac continued to stare at his enemy.

"To be honest, it was never my intention to conceive through your pathetic human friend." "Liar!" Clark yelled, outraged. '_Yeesh, and people call me a hot head.'_ Green Lantern thought as he watched the argument.

"It is the truth. My goal that night was to leave a part of my programming in her mind so that, one day, I would use her as a vessel. But something happened when I breached her mind; a bright glow surrounded her and drained me of most of my power."

Clark remembered how drained Brainiac was when he fought him at the power plant he destroyed him at. "Not only that, but when I was around her, possessing your hacker friend, I sensed my nanites in her were reprogrammed. Instead of storing themselves in her mind, they produced a child."

The Kryptonian and his friends were feeling more surprised as Brainiac continued. "I then deduced that the meteor rock radiation within her must've tampered with my nanites. Whatever the reason, I intend to take the child…after I kill you and your pals of course." The evil machine finished as he uncrossed his arms.

Steel balled his fists with hatred. "That won't happen. We won't allow it!" he shouted. Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman stood ready with their friend for the huge battle.

"Do you believe your "team" can beat me?" Brainiac taunted, smirking. Steel smiled back. "I sure do!" he shouted, and the battle began.

Immediately, it became clear that Brainiac would have the upper hand as he made the first move. During their chat, he used Amazo's absorption cells to take in each of Steel's teammate's powers and planned to use every single one of them to his advantage.

He used Flash's speed to ram into the group, but Wonder Woman and Aquaman held on to his arms and caused him to slow down. Steel then punched Brainiac in the face and stomach, but all the android did was smirk.

"Not good enough!" he shouted as he slammed Wonder Woman and Aquaman into Steel, knocking them all down. He then felt a powerful burn on his back and turned around. Green Lantern smiled as he launched a valley of green energy fists.

Brainiac was at first stunned by Green Lantern's power, but he caught him off guard by putting up a green energy shield around himself. He then used his own attack against him, with twice the power. He barely managed to dodge it in time by flying upwards.

"Damn, and I thought this going to be a piece of cake!" he shouted to himself. "You thought wrong!" Brainiac shouted as he appeared behind Green Lantern and shot him with the heat vision he copied from Steel.

It sent him spiraling to the icy ground. Flash came to Green Lantern and helped him up. "You okay?" he asked. "Ask me that when that garbage can is recycled." he said as Brainiac sent another green blast at the pair.

Thankfully, Green Lantern put up a shield around the two. But Lantern knew it wouldn't hold for long. With each blast the shield cracked, little by little. Before Brainiac could deliver another blow, Wonder Women flew up and tackled him.

"Thanks gorgeous!" Green Lantern shouted in gratitude. Snarling, Wonder Woman punched and kicked the android as fast and hard as she could. But her fists were caught and Brainiac delivered a head butt.

Dazed from the blow, Wonder Woman barely blocked Brainiac's heat vision with her bracelets. Each blast bounced off of them, thanks to Wonder Woman's amazing reflexes.

While he was blasting her, Brainiac felt something wrap around his leg. He saw a cable, along with the man being pulled up by it. When he was close enough, Batman threw small black ball at him.

He then let go of the cable and glided down with Wonder Woman. A few seconds after the ball had stuck to Brainiac's chest, it shocked him immensely. Electricity was circling all around him, and he was screaming from the pain.

But with effort, he grabbed the ball and crushed it. With that, the electric attacks stopped. Batman snarled. "He's stronger than I thought…to able to remove the shock ball and destroy it with his bare hands."

"I warned you about his power copy ability." Steel said as he walked over to him and Wonder Woman. "His power is great. Will your plan still work?" Wonder Woman asked.

As Brainiac flew towards Flash, Steel smiled. "Just a little more time." On the ground, Flash and Brainiac raced super fast. Each blow could be felt at different parts of the area.

Flash barely ducked under Brainiac's fist as he ran past him. He then came back with another punch, but it vibrated. When he hit Brainiac in the chest, it paralyzed the android. Flash grinded his teeth as he continued.

But a surprise attack from Brainiac's copy ring sent Flash into the snow, several yards away. Brainiac smiled. "Your allies are pathetic, Kal-El! In this android's body, and their powers, I cannot even be scratched!"

'_We'll see about that.'_ thought Steel as he flew at Brainiac. But instead of punching him, he grabbed his arm. Aquaman grabbed his other arm, while Wonder Woman wrapped her lasso around his chest.

Flash came around and helped her pull the lasso, keeping the android in place. Batman wrapped another cable around Brainiac's neck, while Green Lantern used his ring to hold his legs.

Brainiac now was being held in place by Steel's team. Though he was strong, the combined efforts of his enemies somehow held him. It frustrated him. "That's it! Hold him tight!" Steel shouted to his teammates.

Brainiac snarled as he struggled. "You cannot hold me for long!" "Not long…just for a few moments. Blue Beetle, NOW!!!" Steel shouted.

Just then, Blue Beetle had popped out of a mound of snow and flew towards Brainiac with full speed. He then stabbed the android in the throat and chest with his energy blades, and then sent a powerful surge through them.

Brainiac then felt as if an intruder had invaded his systems and began destabilizing everything. The new cybernetic entity could not be stopped. "Kaji, you doing alright?" Blue Beetle asked his insect ally.

"_Everything is proceeding as planned."_ said the bug, confident. Brainiac was screaming and shaking madly. It felt as though he was falling apart from the inside. Moments later, he stopped. Blue Beetle extracted his blades.

"Did it work?" Batman asked, uncertain. The hero nodded. "Definitely. I broke into his systems and initiated a self destruct program. He'll blow in 20 seconds." he said proudly.

"I'll take it from here." Steel said as he took Brainiac and, with all his might, threw him into outer space. The giant machine exploded as it past Mars. It's explosion was huge, but a mere blink in Earth's sky.

Proud, but tired, Steel and his team took a breather. "Good work, all of you. This is exactly what I expect from you on our next mission." Steel said, smiling at them all. They all smiled back, a few even gave a thumbs up.

Batman and Green Lantern merely nodded at one another. "You ah…did good out there." Green Lantern said after a while. "You weren't bad either…for a man that's full of himself." he said with a smirk.

Green Lantern chuckled a bit. Steel was pleased that those two were starting to get along. "Come on…let's get back to Metropolis."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis General Hospital:

After leaving the team at Oliver's (promising them he won't be gone long), and changing back into his normal clothes, Clark walked back into the hospital to tell Chloe of their victory.

But when he arrived outside Chloe's room, he heard crying. He opened the door, and found that it was Chloe, with the others with her. Her eyes were puffy and red; she must've been crying for a while. Clark was shocked to see her like this.

"My god Chloe, what happened?" he asked tenderly. Chloe saw Clark and tried to smile, but it faltered. "Clark, she's gone…she's gone…" she muttered. Clark looked confused.

"Who's gone?" he asked, fearing what the answer would be. It was Jimmy who answered. "Chelsea. Someone took her." Clark was wide-eyed by the news. "What? Who did this?!" he asked, not believing this had happened.

"Jimmy went to check on her a little bit ago, but her crib was empty." Moira said. "A nurse told him that a doctor had authorization to take her for a check up. Only problem was, when he asked for that doctor, there was no one with that name at this hospital." Gabe concluded.

"That nurse seemed a little rattled when we told her later that doctor didn't work here. She looked horrified." Lois added, depressed.

"That was when we learned Chelsea had been kidnapped." Jimmy said softly, holding Chloe. Clark saw how devastated Chloe was. Losing Chelsea must've affected her more than he had ever imagined.

Despite her being Brainiac's child, Chloe was upset of losing her. It wasn't hard to see that becoming a mother made Chloe attached to her daughter. None of this made sense, unless…

Clark hoped beyond hope that he was wrong…but he usually turned out to be right about things like this. "This doctor that took Chelsea…did the nurse say what his name was?" he asked slowly. Jimmy answered instantly.

"She said it was Dr. Fine." That was all Clark needed to hear as he began to walk out. "I'm so sorry Chloe." he said before giving her a look that said "I'll fix this, I promise." "Where the hell are you going?" Lois asked angrily.

"To the Daily Planet to find leads." Clark said as he left, leaving the others confused by his sudden departure. Chloe knew the truth of course, because she saw his look.

As stood in front of the door to Chloe's room, anger boiled inside of him. He knew precisely who took Chelsea…and that same someone pulled one over on him.

'_He tricked me. The whole fight was just a diversion! And my team and I fell for it! What does he want with her?!'_ Clark thought as he headed back to Oliver's to rendezvous with the team.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Moon:

Brainiac had just landed on the moon carrying a small chrysalis. He looked into it, feeling immensely proud.

While he was in the hospital, he leaked out while leaving a copy of himself within Amazo. Chloe was so frightened, she failed to notice a black mass moving out through the front door, moved to a nearby restroom, and took human form.

Brainiac made himself look like a doctor and had no trouble blending in. He found the cribs where all the newborns are. He immediately recognized Chelsea because of his connection with her.

When he stepped inside and took her, a nurse came and asked where he was taking the baby. He merely told her his name was Dr. Milton Fine and that he was taking the baby to get a check up. And that gullible human fell for it.

Once he walked into a deserted room, he opened the window and floated into the air. Before he flew into space, he covered Chelsea in a chrysalis of his own metal. He knew it would protect her from the vacuum of space.

And then there they were, on the far side of the moon. The perfect place for his "daughter" to hide where no one could find her. "Now then, no one will disturb you all the way out here." Brainiac said, placing the chrysalis down on the moon's surface. He smiled coldly.

"You don't know it yet, my daughter, but I have big plans for you. One month in that chrysalis, and you will be mature enough to fulfill your destiny. Oh, and you won't be alone; I will educate you on what you must do when the time comes…"

He then resumed his liquid metal form and merged with the chrysalis that contained Chelsea. And as he did, the chrysalis grew in size. Seconds later, it was the size of Amazo himself. It resembled a dark crystal tree.

'_By the time Kal-El and his pals find her, it will be too late…'_

To be continued.


	55. Chapter 54 Mission

I believe we have arrived at a highly anticipated mission! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 54: Mission

Oliver's Apartment:

Clark walked back in Oliver's (after a change in attire), both pissed and determined. This was evident as the team saw him appear. "What's with the face, Clark? We've won!" Hal said triumphantly.

Slowly, Clark shook his head. "No Hal…we've been fooled." "What are you talking about?" Jaime asked. With great difficulty, Clark kept his anger in check as he explained.

"We may have destroyed Amazo, but Brainiac himself is still out there. Our battle was just a distraction so that he could get Chloe's daughter, Chelsea." The entire team was immensely shocked by the revelation.

Clark went on to say how he found out about Chelsea's disappearance, and that everyone was taking it hard, especially Chloe. When he was done, the team was thunderstruck.

"Damn. That Brainiac is one clever bastard." AC cursed. "I'm so sorry Clark." Diana said, sympathetic. "We all are." Barry replied. "Me too." Jaime said. Batman and Hal merely nodded in agreement. Clark nodded back.

"I appreciate it." After a moment, he spoke more strongly. "There's no time to waste. We need to act now before things get any worse." At long last, Clark told his team why he called them all (even though Blue Beetle came on his own).

"I brought you guys together because the world is in great danger. A powerful alien warlord named Darkseid plans to reshape Earth into his own liking and to take humanity as slaves…and Lucas Luthor is helping him to do it."

If the team wasn't surprised before, they were now. Most of their eyes were as wide as can be and their mouths hung open (except for Barry and Jaime, since they already knew this). No one spoke as Clark continued.

"I know exactly how they plan to do this, and when. But before I explain, there is something we must do. Lucas hired someone called "The Key" to capture three other friends that we need to rescue. They are known as Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Cyborg."

"Wait, you _know_ the Green Arrow?" Jaime asked. Clark nodded. "We've been through quite a bit together. They are being held somewhere in the Southern Andes mountains in South America. If we work together, just like we did against Amazo, we can pull this off. Will you help me save them, and the world?" he asked hopefully.

Batman answered first. "Count me in." "I'm with you also." Diana said, smiling. "Me too." Barry said. "If these slackers are going to be kicking some more ass, there's no way I'm missing out on any of it." Hal replied with a smirk. "You know I'm in." AC said. "So am I." stated Jaime.

Clark smiled at them all, swelling with pride. "Thank you." After a moment, he planned his move. "Okay. Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman…you're all with me to save Green Arrow and the others."

"What about me?" Jaime asked, stunned that he was not included in the rescue plan. Clark turned to him. "I have a different job for you Jaime, which is just as important as this one." Jaime then listened intently.

"I need you to track down Brainiac and bring Chelsea back to her mother. Can you do that?" Jaime smiled. "My scanners can pick up any readings, whether they are natural or technological. I should be able to find them no problem."

"Just what I needed to hear." Clark replied with a smile. But then he got more serious. "Listen, you need to be extremely careful. Brainiac is a very cunning and dangerous enemy; don't let your guard down for a second."

"Got it." But Clark wasn't finished. "That's not all. Once you get Chelsea, destroy Brainiac by any means necessary. Don't hold back; he can't be allowed to survive again. But most of all, don't let him touch you; he has a habit of downloading a part of himself in another computer system. Do you understand?"

Jaime felt nervous, but still willing to do it. "You can count on me Steel." he said proudly. Clark nodded. "Then good luck." With other wishes of luck from his new allies, Blue Beetle flew off to find Brainiac.

Once he was out of sight, Clark looked back at them. "Alright…let's head out." he said as he put his shades back on.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

Lucas had smashed his fist on a desk in complete outrage. He was more pissed off than he ever was. _'First Clark busted out Chloe and her friends, then Cheetah got arrested, and now…Jarvis is dead! Is Clark connected to all of this?!'_

He couldn't believe that how everything was starting to go wrong. Though Chloe being rescued by Clark was a blow, losing Jarvis was a much bigger one. He had a role to play in the plan on New Years, and now he's gone.

Darkseid was especially not pleased to hear the news when Lucas told him of Jarvis' death. _"How did he die?"_ he asked, not sounding concerned of him at all. Lucas swallowed.

"According to the guards, Jarvis was monitoring the robots he sent to retrieve Chloe Sullivan and her baby. Next thing, they heard loud screaming from inside his lab. They ran in to his face charbroiled and his equipment all shorted out. They don't know how it happened." he finished nervously.

His master was silent for a moment. _"I doubt he would be careless enough to die from a mere "accident"."_ "So do I. But now what? How can we finish the plan without him?" Lucas asked.

"_It is of no concern; at this point, his assistance is no longer necessary. Jarvis has provided us with the technology we need to prepare Project Apocalypse."_ Lucas couldn't believe Darkseid brushed off Jarvis' death so easily; he didn't even care. Then again, he didn't really care for Lucas either.

"_You have all the items that I asked you to procure?"_ Lucas nodded. "Yes, master. The Gauntlet of Heracles, the black diamond, and the replica of Kordax's hand are in storage until the day they are needed." Darkseid nodded.

"_Good. Let us hope we don't suffer any more setbacks, Lucas…for your sake."_ The transmission ended. Lucas then made another transmission. Just then, a grey skinned man appeared. "Anything new, Key?" Lucas asked.

Key shook his head. _"Everything is quiet; still no sign of Steel. But I imagine he'll be here soon to try to free his friends."_ "He will. Are you prepared for his arrival?" Key smirked. _"Most definitely."_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Southern Andes, South America:

Steel and the team arrived on the outskirts of Argentina, where the Southern Andes began. They all stood on a hill overlooking the mountain range. "So Green Arrow and your other pals are in those mountains?" Green Lantern asked.

"Somewhere." Steel replied. "There are lots of mountains in that range; they could be in _any_ of them." Wonder Woman noted. "I'll run around them all to see if there are any entrances." Flash suggested, but Steel held him before he could take a step.

"Wait Flash; there could be traps at the spot where Key is. You may walk into any of them." Batman warned, and Steel nodded in agreement. "Then how do we…?" Aquaman began to ask, but Steel suddenly felt a painful headache as he screamed.

"Steel! What's wrong?!" Wonder Woman asked as Steel kneeled in pain. In his mind, Steel heard a voice with distorted images that tried to become clear. _'Kal-El…I'm here! I know you are…close! Hurry…!'_

Steel then relaxed and breathed heavily. "What the hell was _that_ about?!" Green Lantern asked, concerned. Steel then got back up. Not only did he fully recover, but he seemed certain about something as he pointed to one of the mountains.

"There! That's where we need to go!" Steel shouted. The others were completely confused. "That's Aconcagua, the highest peak in Argentina and in all of the Americas. What makes you think they are in there?" Batman asked.

Steel shook his head. "I…don't exactly know. But I do know we have to get in there." Though unsure of how he knew, the others didn't question him as they followed Steel toward Aconcagua.

Seconds later they were flying around the peak (Batman, Flash, and Aquaman were in a bubble by Green Lantern, since they were the only ones who can't fly, and Batman did not want to waste his plane's fuel).

Steel tried to see through the rock with his x-ray vision, but he couldn't; he realized that the most of the mountain was lead shielded. He tried his super hearing, but he heard no voices from inside either. These things proved that they have found the right place; they just needed to find a way in.

All of them kept their eyes open, and a safe distance, as they scanned for any sign of a doorway of some sort.

"All I'm seeing is solid rock." Green Lantern said after several passes around the mountain. As they flew around a rather large patch of snow near the top, Diana thought of something.

"Maybe an entrance is concealed beneath the snow?" Steel floated beside her, intrigued. "One way to find out." he replied, confident that she might be right. Once his shade lenses opened up, Steel fired his heat vision at the snow.

Slowly, the snow melted. As it did, Steel could see even more rock…but seconds later he spotted something else. "I see something!" he shouted to everyone as he continued melting the snow.

The others gathered around him as what he spotted came into complete view. A large metal door stood right beneath the top of the mountain. As Steel slowly descended to the door, he suddenly felt weak and ached.

He instantly backed away. "What's wrong?" Flash asked as he and the others floated next to him. Getting his strength back, Steel frowned. "He _has_ been waiting for me; there are meteor rocks all around the entrance."

"Meteor rocks? Why would meteor rocks concern you?" Green Lantern asked. Steel sighed as he answered. "Those meteors that landed in Smallville…they are the only things that can kill me. I'd die if I'm around them too long."

He went on to explain that that is possible because they were radioactive pieces of his home planet of Krypton, which he called kryptonite. The team was stunned by this secret.

"Well then…let's clear them away. He did that to keep _you_ out, but not us!" Aquaman said as the rest of the team landed near the door, while Steel remained floating. Within a few minutes, they all found all the kryptonite around and gave them all to Green Lantern, who threw them all quite a ways with his ring.

Thankful, Steel finally rejoined his team. "Thanks. That's better." They then approached the door. "Shall we knock?" Wonder Woman asked. Steel smirked with her as they smashed their fists in the door and ripped it out.

"Remind me to never get on their bad sides." Green Lantern whispered to the others, which made them smirk (even Batman). After throwing the door away, all the team began to walk in cautiously.

"Be careful; the Key may have some nasty surprises in here." As they moved through a metal hallway, Batman made a motion for them to stop. "See something?" Steel asked. Batman nodded as he pointed to ahead.

On the other side was an elevator, but along the way there were red lights glowing from both walls on either side, and they were in impossible to get past patterns. Batman then stepped as close as possible to the first set of red lights and took out a spray bottle of some kind.

Batman then sprayed it into the open air, and suddenly a laser appeared that connected the red dots on the walls. He turned back to the team. "Motion sensors; we touch these, and things might get hectic up here." Batman warned as the others grouped with him.

"Good catch, Bats." Aquaman said, impressed. "How do we get past them?" Wonder Woman asked. "I can just short them out with my trusty ring." Green Lantern said cockily. Steel was about to protest, but Batman beat him to it.

"Use your head for once, Lantern. The alarms will most likely go off if these sensors are tampered with in any way…unless someone hit's the "off" button." Batman explained. "This requires not super powers, but agility and careful hands."

"Agility and careful hands?" Flash asked. "Show him." Steel said confidently. Batman nodded and made his move. He jumped over the first set of laser sensors, and then he slid underneath the second set.

Using the skills of a expert acrobatic, Batman jumped and somersaulted past every single sensor without touching them. Once he landed gracefully in front of the elevator, he saw that his teammates were deeply impressed.

"I said it once and I'll say it again…show off." Green Lantern said, but with a look of admiration. "How do the rest of us get through?" Flash asked. Batman then examined the walls beside the elevator until he found a hidden latch and opened it.

He opened it to reveal a set of wires; one red, another blue, and a green one. Batman took out another gizmo from his belt and hooked it up to the circuitry that held the wires. "This is the part where the careful hands come in."

Batman punched in a few buttons on the pad he hooked up and after several seconds, a code appeared in green. At once, the red lights were deactivated. "We're good." Batman said as he put his pad away.

Impressed once more, the team met up with Batman quickly as he opened the elevator. "That was amazing! Where did you learn to do that?" Flash asked. Batman smiled. "Years of learning techno babble from very smart people." he answered.

"But won't the Key know that his sensors are offline?" Wonder Woman inquired as they all got into the elevator and the doors closed. "They were reactivated when the elevator doors closed. He still doesn't know about any uninvited guests."

"You continue to impress me, you know that Batman?" Steel asked. Batman merely smirked as the elevator descended.

A few minutes later the elevator stopped and the doors opened. They saw another hallway, and it was filled with cameras and two passages. The cameras kept moving from left to right and back. They stayed in the elevator to not be spotted.

"Think you can do your magic on those next?" Green Lantern asked. However, Batman shook his head. "Can't get close enough without being spotted." he grunted. Steel then turned to Flash.

"Flash, you and I are the fastest ones on the team; the cameras won't be able to notice us. We'll split up and search this place for anything that looks like a prison cell or a control room, then meet back here with the team. Agreed?" Flash nodded.

"On it." Flash said as he zoomed in one direction, while Steel took another. The others waited in the elevator for only 15 seconds before both speedsters came back. "Found anything?" Aquaman asked.

"This place is huge; most of the mountain must be housing this facility. I found more cameras and several doors in that passageway. Although, I didn't find anything that struck out as a control room. But I did find several doors that are security locked, and it looks like only the Key can access them."

"Fingerprint ID?" Batman asked. "Bingo." Flash confirmed. "A few of those rooms could be the ones where Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Cyborg are being held." Wonder Woman said to Steel with hope. Steel nodded too.

"I hope so." "Did you find anything, team leader?" Green Lantern asked. "Yeah; a big door at the end of the hallway opposite the one Flash took. But it didn't look like it and fingerprint scanner on it. In fact…there doesn't seem to be a way to open it at all." Steel answered.

"A door that won't open? Something pretty big must be on the other side." Aquaman said excited. The others agreed. "Let's take a look, and then we'll check the doors Flash found." "But what about the cameras?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Leave that to me." Green Lantern said as he used his ring on all the cameras in sight. His green energy was keeping them from seeing the direction in which the team planned to go. "That way, we won't be spotted and Key boy won't think of it other than temporary technical difficulties." he said confidently.

"Finally, you're using your head." Batman remarked as the team moved down the hallway Steel went through, with Steel leading the way. As they moved, Green Lantern halted more cameras to point away from them and let go of the ones that they passed once they were out of sight.

Finally, they passed all the cameras and made it to the big door. It looked like a door to a huge vault. Steel was right; there was no handle or keypad of some sort. It seemed like that whatever the Key put in there, he didn't want it out.

"Any ideas without giving ourselves away?" Aquaman asked. "There has to be a way to open it, otherwise the Key himself wouldn't have been able to put inside whatever he has in there." Wonder Woman rationalized.

Steel then came up with another idea. "Maybe it can only be opened from the inside." "And how do you suppose he opened it when he put his prize inside?" Green Lantern asked.

"Perhaps by remote control." Batman guessed. "Well, we don't exactly have one of those, do we?" Aquaman asked sarcastically. "We have something better." Steel said as he turned to Flash.

"Do you think you can vibrate through that door and open it on the other side?" After examining the door, Flash smiled. "I think I can manage." Once Flash got his whole body vibrating rapidly, he simply walked through the door.

"If I lose my house keys, I'll call him." Green Lantern joked. The team waited for a response. Sure enough, the huge door slide upwards. Flash stood there grinning. "Button on the other side, just like you figured." he stated.

"Good work Flash." Steel stated as he and the others walked in. "So what's in here?" Aquaman asked. Flash then turned to the center of the room. "Just…that."

What the team saw astounded them, even Batman. _'Oh my god.'_ they all thought as they stared. Hung by metal clamps that connected to the floor and ceiling was a green, humanoid shaped creature wearing dark blue spandex.

It was surrounded by a ring of fire around where his legs were clamped to the floor. It appeared to be weak and fragile, but alive; they could hear it breathing. The team didn't move any closer, not knowing whether or not it was dangerous.

"What the _hell_ is it?" Batman asked, slightly unnerved. "Whatever it is, it seems to be in great pain." Wonder Woman noted by the creature's appearance. "The Key must be holding that thing for a reason." Flash said.

"Like what Scarlet Speedster, advertising Green Giant vegetables?" Green Lantern sarcastically asked. "Somehow, I doubt that bro. What about you Steel?" Aquaman asked.

Steel didn't reply as he continued to stare. He saw the creature's head move up a little and saw it's red eyes. It's eyes widened when he saw Steel and gasped. "K..Ka…Kal-El." it barely whispered.

The Kryptonian was surprised to hear his name from it. It spoke too softly for the others to hear, but thanks to his super hearing Steel heard it clearly. He immediately realized what, or rather who the creature was.

To the surprise and shock of the rest of the team, Steel walked up to the creature until his face was right in front of it's own. "J'onn?" Steel asked softly. His old friend nodded with a smile.

To be continued.


	56. Chapter 55 Key

Things are about to heat up this week! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 55: Key

The Moon:

Blue Beetle had landed on the moon's surface, continuing his search for Brainiac. After flying off from Oliver's, he scanned for signals identical to the one he detected within Amazo. But he hadn't found anything.

He searched across the globe scanning, and just when he was about to call it quits he picked up a faint trace of the signal he was searching for. However, he noticed it headed off towards the atmosphere…into space.

That's when the young man decided to head into space himself to continue his mission. Thanks to his armor, he was well protected (as well as to enable him to breath outside a breathable atmosphere).

After he landed, Blue Beetle felt the signal was much stronger now. "Must be getting close." he said to himself as he walked on the moon rock. He walked for several minutes when he finally came across the source of the signal: A giant crystal like structure.

Blue Beetle was amazed; he'd never seen anything like it. "What is it?" he asked Khaji Da, the scarab. _"It appears to be a living metallic structure of alien material. It's signature matches that of the entity within Amazo." _"Brainiac." Blue Beetle stated.

As he walked closer, Blue Beetle picked up another signature from within the structure, but it was organic…alive. "Hey, you feel that?" he asked. _"The new energy source feels much like a human, though quite young."_

"That must be Chelsea! What's he doing to her?" he inquired urgently. _"The scanners detect accelerating body growth within the baby." _"I don't like the sound of that. Let's get her out!" Blue Beetle said, readying his energy blades.

But the scarab halted him. _"That would be a bad idea, Jaime. Should you break the structure, Chelsea will instantly suffocate out here in space, where there is no air to breathe. Also, Clark warned us not to touch Brainiac."_

Blue Beetle groaned. "But there _has_ to be something we can do to save her!" _"Even if we somehow free her, we have nothing to provide her with breathable air. I am sorry, but we can do nothing in this situation."_ said the scarab.

The hero smashed his fist into his other open hand, grinding his teeth in anger. He stared at the structure in helplessness. After a moment, he spoke again. "Khaji, you said Brainiac is making Chelsea grow much faster than normal. Why?"

"_That I cannot be certain. But I can tell you is: At this rate, Chelsea will be fully grown in one month…give or take a few days." _Blue Beetle shook a little in fear. "That's around the time that Darkseid will make his move to take Earth!" he exclaimed.

"_I doubt it is a coincidence that both these events will happen almost simultaneously." _the scarab suggested. Blue Beetle nodded in agreement. "Well, I guess we better head back and wait for Clark and the rest of the guys to get back from their mission. There's nothing we can do here."

With great sadness, Blue Beetle flew off and headed back towards Earth. _'Clark, Chloe…I'm sorry I failed you.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hidden Facility in Aconcagua:

Steel smiled as he found the friend he feared to be dead. Without hesitation, he used his super breath to extinguish the flames surrounding J'onn. The team was further surprised as their leader broke the clamps of J'onn's arms and legs.

"What're you doing?! We don't know what that thing is; it could be dangerous!" Batman strongly warned when Steel caught J'onn as he fell from the clamps. Steel gave him, and the others, a reassuring look.

"It's okay; he's a friend." "You know him?" Wonder Woman asked. Steel nodded. "His name is J'onn Jonzz, a survivor of planet Mars." "He's a _Martian_?" Green Lantern asked in surprise. J'onn answered this time.

"Yes I am. You have nothing to fear from me; I'm not your enemy." J'onn then turned to Steel as his strength slowly returned. "And I am grateful you have found me at last. Thank you Kal-El." Steel smiled back.

"I suspected it was you that tried to reach me at Flash's apartment, and when you showed me the way here earlier." The Martian nodded. "The flames that surrounded me interfered with my powers; I could not send a clear call to you, especially since you were so far away."

"I'm here now, thanks to my other friends." Steel said as he looked at his team with pride. They all smiled back; Batman just gave a quick nod. "I know about your fight with your brother. What happened to Ma'alefa'ak?"

J'onn looked noticeably solemn. "He's dead; I killed him." Steel was shocked to hear the news. J'onn spoke before Steel could respond.

"I know what you are thinking, but you must understand; he has not been my brother since he killed my family and the rest of my people. He put your own friends in harms way just to get to me! I could not allow him to live to cause more harm and death."

Though Steel didn't like the thought of having a brother kill another, he did understand that Ma'alefa'ak had the potential to be a continuing threat. He had to be stopped. "You should also know, that it was him who destroyed the Isis Foundation." J'onn added. Steel was stunned by this.

"Why would he do that?!" he asked in disbelief. "He was toying with me, as well as getting my attention." J'onn then became more serious. "Listen, there is a great matter you and I need to discuss. I delved into Ma'alefa'ak's mind and discovered a terrible secret…"

"Whatever it is, we can talk about it back at home. But right now, we have other people that need saving." Steel said. "Who else is being held here?" J'onn asked. "Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Cyborg." Aquaman answered.

J'onn was shocked but quickly recovered. "I see. I take it that they have been captured by the same person that took me?" They all nodded. "The Key. We think we found them in another part of this hideout." Flash stated.

"We must hurry. There is little time to waste." The Martian Manhunter said as they moved to leave the room. But just as they approached the exit, they heard a new voice that seemed to come from the walls.

"_I'm afraid _none_ of you will be leaving."_ The team froze when they heard the voice. "Who the hell…?" Green Lantern began to ask. "I know that voice; it's him." J'onn replied with animosity. The Key laughed.

"_Your alien buddy is correct. The moment you released him, I was instantly alerted about intruders. I have to admit, Steel; I never expected you, or your new posse, to make it this far into my complex. But nonetheless, I am prepared for you."_

"It's not just me you're dealing with Key! We'll free the others and bring you down, just like we will to your boss!" Steel shouted. _"We shall see about that. I promise, none of you will leave here alive."_ Then there was silence.

"What surprises do you think he has in store?" Flash asked. "We aren't going to find out by standing around her; we need to find Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Cyborg. Flash, show us these doors you found." Steel instructed.

"This way." They moved quickly; there was no need to meddle with the cameras, since the Key now knows about them. They reached the locked doors, and luckily they still didn't trigger any traps or bump into any guards.

"These are the doors I mentioned. As you can see, there are finger print pads beside each of the doors." Flash pointed out. Green Lantern shrugged. "No problem for you, right?" he asked confidently. Flash frowned a bit.

"Normally no, but there might be traps inside if any of us step in." "And I can't be sure, since these doors are also lined with lead." Steel said after using his x-ray vision again. J'onn then decided to play his part.

"I can check." J'onn then used his shaped shifting power to transform himself into the Key, after remembering what he looked like the night he captured him. This both startled and amazed the team; startled because of the Key's appearance, and amazed because of his powers (of course, Clark already knew of his power beforehand).

Now disguised, J'onn used his faked Key finger print to access the doors one by one. The first few just had weapons supplies. The fourth one contained food. But it wasn't until the last three doors were opened that they struck gold.

In each room, there was a prisoner inside…and all of them were Steel's friends. Steel smiled, but it then faltered. Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Cyborg were each strapped to some machine on their heads.

They constantly twitch or even yell at some unknown torturer. "What's happening to them?" Wonder Woman asked, horrorstruck. J'onn probed each of their minds to find the answer.

What he found disgusted him. "The Key has forced devices on them that causes them to experience what they fear most…over and over again." "Oh god." Aquaman whispered, feeling sick.

"Let's get them off." Steel commanded. One by one, the captured three were relieved of their torture. It took a few moments before they regained consciousness.

"You alright?" Steel asked as Green Arrow awoke, startled. "What the hell's going on?" he asked groggily, seeing many strangers (besides Aquaman). Steel helped him up.

"It's a long story. You and your two teammates have been trapped here by the Key, Lucas' hired stalker to kidnap you." Green Arrow instantly became more alert. "Black Canary…Cyborg…?"

"They woke up a little before you. They're a bit shaken up, but they will recover." J'onn explained. The Emerald Archer started to feel better as he saw them. "Hey tough guy. Feeling better yet?" Black Canary asked in a almost seductive way. "I will be after a cup of coffee, black."

"The sooner we leave this house of horrors, the better I'll feel." Cyborg remarked. Green Arrow nodded as he turned back to Steel." "Can't wait to hear your side of the story when we bust out of here." he said excited to Steel.

"Let's go." But as they all were about to leave the last room, the door sealed shut. After that, the whole room fell downwards, fast. Everyone was holding on tight. "Just when things were going so well!" Green Lantern shouted as the room continued to plummet.

After what felt like an hour the room slammed into a stop, which caused everyone to fall to the floor. "Is everyone alright?" Steel asked. They all nodded as the team got back up.

"I know it's cliché, but…I have a bad feeling about this." Cyborg said as the door reopened. They slowly walked to find themselves in a huge arena sized area. There didn't seem to be another way out.

"_Welcome to my "playroom", intruders. This is where you will all meet your end…including you Steel."_ The Key announced from unseen speakers. "Damn it! Where are you bastard?" Green Arrow shouted in anger.

Key laughed. _"Well out of your reach, I can tell you that Green Arrow." _"What is it you have for us?" Wonder Woman asked. _"Oh, just something I whipped up in my spare time. I originally planned to unleash them on Steel only, but having them kill the rest of you will make this much more…entertaining."_

"Them?" Black Canary questioned tiredly. Just then, another door opened on the other side of the arena. Out came an army of robots that strongly resembled the Key. There was more than a dozen of them.

"This shouldn't take long." Aquaman said, massaging his knuckles. But then complications arose. The arena became filled with bright green light, which instantly caused Steel to collapse in pain. And then a cage dropped from the ceiling and contained Steel.

If that wasn't bad enough, the ceiling began to slowly descend. _"Now I can just sit up here and watch you all perish!"_ Key said with a horrible laugh. The team looked troubled as they saw how grim the situation was.

"Let's not waste any time! We need a plan!" Batman shouted as the robots began attacking everyone. Each hero took on 3 or 4 robots, while Steel could only watch in his prison with pain.

"I hope you have one!" Cyborg shouted as he fired his sonic disrupter at his robots one by one, disintegrating them. While dodging and blocking the robot's blows, Batman analyzed the situation and came up with a plan.

"First, we need to shut off that green light; it's weakening Steel!" He yelled out as he threw some bat shaped objects at his robots, which exploded seconds later. "Allow me!" Green Lantern shouted as he fired a beam from his ring at the source of the light.

However, another light came on from right underneath Steel. It was killing him even more as he screamed in agony. "Shit!" Aquaman yelled as he bashed two robots with his fists and threw them at the other one coming at him.

"Lantern, use your ring to get the cage off of him!" Batman commanded as he tackled another robot. "Right Bats!" But just as he was about to fire, a laser tried to zap him and he managed to fly out of the way.

"_Did you really think I hadn't thought of everything, you morons?" _Key said over the intercoms. Green Lantern cursed as more lasers fired from the walls at Green Lantern and the rest of the group, while fighting the robots at the same time.

And all the while, the ceiling was getting lower. "We're getting nowhere!" Flash shouted as he knocked down his robots with his speedy punches and vibrating through them to dismantle them.

The team soon faced another dilemma; the more robots they destroy, the more appear to replace them. "We'll stop the reinforcements! Black Canary, stand by!" Martian Manhunter shouted as he turned flew at the incoming robots and used his Mars vision to knock all them back into the opening.

"Now!!" he shouted. Black Canary nodded as she used her sonic cry to destroy the locks on the door, causing it to shut tight. "That should hold them!" she shouted as she used her cry on another group of robots.

Wonder Woman just smashed through a robot's skull and tied up another one with her lasso. With that, she swung it at another group that tried to kill Green Arrow, who was overpowered and defenseless without his crossbow, not to mention still a little groggy from his torture.

"Thanks pretty lady!" he shouted with a thumbs up. The Amazon smiled back. There were still plenty of robots for the team to fight, not to mention the lasers from all over the place, but Steel's time was running out…as was for everyone else. The ceiling was halfway down now.

"We're running out of time!" Green Arrow shouted, pointing at the ceiling. "Let me handle the lasers!" Wonder Woman yelled as she floated upwards. The lasers soon followed her, just as she expected.

When they fired at her, she deflected them with her bracelets. The lasers rebounded back at their source; each time a laser was reflected, it got dismantled. It took seconds before the lasers were all destroyed.

She then flew at Steel, who had fully collapsed by now. Panicking, she quickly ripped the cage off of him, dragged him away from the kryptonite light, and smashed it with a powerful stomp. "Thanks Diana." Steel said weakly. Wonder Woman smiled as she helped him up, and watched as his strength began to return

From the safety of his control room, the Key was getting extremely pissed off at Steel's team was actually winning, and they he himself got freed. He grinded his teeth as the last of his robots was destroyed by the team.

"Damn! Enough of this!!" he shouted as he slammed his fist on a large red button by his side. In the arena, the only obstacle left was the descending ceiling, which was now only 10 feet from the team's heads.

"Any ideas on how to stop that?!" Aquaman shouted in desperation. "Allow me!" With his full strength back, Steel flew upwards and halted the ceiling. He grunted and groaned as he kept it from lowering any further.

But just when things were starting to get better, red lights came on and an alarm went off. _"Warning! Base compromised. Self destruct sequence initiated. Base will collapse in 3 minutes."_

"Thing just get better and better!" Green Arrow said as the base started to shake and rocks began to fall. "Listen up! Everyone who can fly pick up someone who can't and fly back to the way we came in! Hurry!" Steel commanded.

"What about you?!" Flash asked. "I'll be right behind you! NOW GO!!!" he shouted as he began to struggle with the ceiling. Martian Manhunter picked up Green Arrow, Wonder Woman picked up Batman, and Green Arrow carried the rest with his power ring.

"Don't get crushed down here!" Batman yelled as he and the others flew up the way the room fell from. Alone, Steel locked the ceiling in place with his heat vision on all sides. He then let go and was relieved it was holding.

"_Now to find the Key."_ Steel thought as he tried to listen with his super hearing. It took only a few seconds to find him, hearing his panting and grunting. Steel then flew straight flew the rock like walls in search for the villain.

Meanwhile, the Key was running as fast as he could towards his secret storage. After opening it by having his thumb print scanned, Key took out a small box with a button on it.

"Lucas won't be happy about my failure. But I must tell him, warn him…" But before he could press the button, Steel crashed through the wall on his right and knocked him hard against the wall on the other side, and lay unconscious. He dropped the box.

'_That's for capturing my friends, and for trying to kill us.' _Steel thought as he looked at Key with pity as the base continued to shake. _"Warning. 2 minutes until base collapse."_ He didn't waste time as he picked the Key up and hung him on his shoulder. Steel then picked up the strange box Key dropped.

He recognized it as identical to the one Lucas used to escape the night Green Arrow assaulted him. He would have to have it examined later as he super sped away.

Elsewhere, the rest of the team just made it out of the mountain as the entrance began to fall. The whole mountain shook as the base fell on itself. "CLARK!!!" Green Arrow shouted as an explosion sealed the entrance.

For a few agonizing moments, the team feared that their leader and friend didn't make it out and somehow didn't survive. But then something had burst through the sealed exit in a blur of red and blue. Everyone then smiled.

"Someone called me?" Steel asked, smiling back as he floated in front of his team.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

When Steel and the others finally made it back to Metropolis, they found Blue Beetle waiting for them. Steel assured Green Arrow that the scarab's host was not possessed like Lucy was (for Green Arrow kept his distance when he saw Blue Beetle).

Steel told Green Arrow, Black Canary, Cyborg, and J'onn that he will fill them in once they were back home. Jaime tried to smile, but he failed miserably.

"Hey Clark. I guess you rescued your other friends, huh?" Jamie asked, feeling disappointed in himself. After taking off his shades, Clark nodded. "Sure looks that way." He then noticed how sad Jamie was. "What's wrong? Did you succeed?"

Jamie looked at Clark with despair, which the rest of the team noticed. "Clark, I found Brainiac and Chelsea, just like you asked." he began. "And?" Jaime almost cried when he resumed.

"I found them both on the moon, but there was nothing I could do! Brainiac has Chelsea trapped in some sort of horrifying chrysalis and I couldn't free her without harming her! I'm sorry Clark! I'm _so_ sorry!"

Clark and his team were deeply shocked by this news, especially Clark. Not everyone understood this however, as Oliver spoke up. "Uh, don't mean to be somewhat ignorant, but…who's Chelsea?" "And what does she have to do with Brainiac?" J'onn asked curiously. Dinah and Victor also look confused.

Clark rubbed his eyes; he realized that the only ones who didn't know what happened between Chloe and Brainiac were the people he and the others just rescued.

"What the hell's been going on while we were having our brains turned inside out?" Cyborg inquired. Clark sighed as he leaned on the table. "You all better get comfortable, there's a lot to tell…"

To be continued.


	57. Chapter 56 News

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to take a break from the intense action recently! Time for more answers!! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 56: News

Oliver's Apartment:

Before he began his story, Clark introduced Oliver, Dinah, Victor, and J'onn to his new team. Oliver nodded. "So you're Batman, huh? Nice mask." Batman didn't reply, but nodded back.

"Nice to meet you guys, and I'm glad you're alright AC. But hey, how come Bart isn't here?" Victor asked, looking around. "Yeah, if you found AC, shouldn't you have found Bart too?" Dinah inquired. Clark felt uncomfortable from hearing those questions, along with AC and Barry.

"Let me explain." Clark then began with what happened after he got back from his "vacation", which most of his friends did not understand.

After learning all of the incidents in his absence, Clark told of his confrontation with Talia Ducard and rescuing Chloe, Lois, and Jimmy from Lucas' clutches. He then moved on to leaving to form his new team to go up against the Key and rescue his other friends.

Clark told of how he met Diana, Barry, and finding AC (of course he remained mum about Atlantis). He hesitated when he was again asked about Bart. With great difficulty, he explained about Bart sacrificing himself to save Clark from Cobalt Blue.

As he expected, Oliver and his companions were deeply shocked by the news. "Oh my god." Oliver said after a moment, deeply saddened. "It can't be." Dinah replied with disbelief. "I never thought we would actually lose him someday." Victor said.

"Neither did I." Clark stated. He continued to when he and AC returned to Smallville and learned from Lois about the Talon incident and Blue Beetle, to which Jamie smiled a little. He paused again when Oliver interrupted.

"That doesn't make sense. Why would Jarvis Kord want Chloe?" Oliver asked. "The same reason that Chloe was taken in the first place." Clark answered. He then explained that Lucas had J'onn's brother, Ma'alefa'ak, take Chloe because of Project Eve.

After he gave the details, the team felt disgusted. "Chloe is _pregnant?_" Victor asked after a moment, surprised. "She was; she gave birth to a girl named Chelsea earlier." "The same Chelsea that is currently Brainiac's prisoner?" Dinah inquired.

Clark nodded. "But last time we saw Chloe, she didn't seem pregnant at all. How could she have given birth recently if she didn't even look like she had a bun in the oven?" Oliver asked, concerned.

Sighing, Clark finally explained the disturbing story of how Chelsea came to be, and that Lucas had speeded up the process. After that, his rescued friends seemed horrified. "Damn. Does Chloe know about this?" Victor asked.

"Yes, and she didn't take it well. But after giving birth to Chelsea, Chloe grew attached to her; happens to all mothers, right?" Clark asked. The others nodded in agreement. "That's why Brainiac took her, because she is his offspring?" J'onn asked.

Clark explained the battle between his team and a Brainiac controlled Amazo (to the shock of Clark's old friends), right before coming after the Key. He then later learned that Brainiac had taken Chelsea during the whole thing.

"When I saw Chloe after the battle, she was more upset than I've ever seen her. Chelsea's kidnapping had hurt her that much. As for why Brainiac took Chelsea, I have no idea."

He later explained the whole ordeal in Aconcagua, and finally finished with their return. The whole room felt silent, and Clark drank some water all the talking he did. After a while, Clark turned to Jaime.

"Jaime, is there anything else you can tell me when you found Brainiac and Chelsea on the moon?" he asked. Jaime sighed. "Well, after some scanning I discovered that Brainiac is somehow causing Chelsea to grow faster than normal. According to my calculations, she'll be all grown in a month from now."

Clark was deeply disturbed by this. _'First Lucas, now Brainiac. And according to Jaime, Chelsea will an adult around the same time Darkseid is going to begin his conquest of Earth! Why around that time? What is Brainiac up to now?'_

Clark would have to figure it out later. "Do you think that Chelsea will become just as dangerous as Brainiac when she returns?" Diana asked. "I talked to my birth father, Jor-El, about that. He believes that might be the case."

"We get the whole story, but there are still some blanks that need filling in." Oliver stated. "Such as?" Clark asked. "How the hell did Lucas hook up with a Martian?" J'onn stepped in front of the group.

"I believe I can explain that." The Martian Manhunter then told of his story of the annihilation of his people at his brother's hands, then the Isis Foundation incident, and finally the final battle at the warehouse.

Clark was shocked that the last phantom had told encountered Ma'alefa'ak while trapped on Mars and told him about his brother's survival. He snapped out of this thought when J'onn got to part where he forced himself into his brother's mind.

"What I saw in there, made me feel colder than ice." "What exactly did you see?" Batman asked. J'onn grimaced as he answered. "My brother met Lucas during his search for me last year. Ma'alefa'ak was disguised as a homeless man wandering the streets of Cincinnati, when he accidentally bumped into Lucas."

He then paused. "Perhaps it would be better if I _showed_ you what I saw." J'onn then projected that memory in everyone's minds. Clark remembered that J'onn had done the same thing when he saw the memory of how Jor-El and J'onn first met.

_Lucas Luthor was minding his own business, walking hastily towards his place, when he bumped into a stranger. "Hey! Watch where you're going, you punk!" The stranger, a tall dark man, grabbed Lucas by the throat and threw him into an alley._

_This display of unnatural strength surprised Lucas. "How did you do that?!" he asked. The stranger walked towards him and began chocking him. "It is _you_ who needs to pay attention to what is in front of you!" _

_Lucas struggled for breath. "What the hell's…you're problem?" he barely asked. The stranger smiled. "You don't want to know. Now stay out of my way." he stated with his eyes glowing red for a second, which frightened Lucas. He then threw Lucas down to the ground. The stranger began to walk away when he heard Lucas._

"_Who, or what, are you?" he asked while coughing. The stranger stopped and turned around. "Something you don't want to intimidate…human." he answered with a smirk before turning invisible. Lucas was surprised as he got out his phone._

_Later that day, Ma'alefa'ak, now in his Martian form, stood atop a tall building and scanned the city, hoping to hear his brother's voice in the crowds. He wished he had telepathy like all Martians did. He would've found J'onn long ago._

_As he continued looking over the city, a voice spoke from behind him. "I've been looking for you." Ma'alefa'ak turned to see Lucas with his arms crossed. "You again? I thought I told you to stay out of my way." he warned in a menacing tone._

_This time, Lucas didn't seem afraid, to the Martian's surprise. "Have to say, the real you…looks like something from the 60's." Ma'alefa'ak walked towards Lucas, anger building inside. "That's it! I'm going to kill you right now!"_

_But before he could make good on his promise, an energy blast hit Ma'alefa'ak and caused him to collapse. The Key stood next to Lucas, smirking. "Thanks Key." "My pleasure." he said as he held his blaster proudly._

_Lucas knelt before the fallen Martian. "I know what you are now. That's why I brought my friend along; to subdue you so that we can talk." Ma'alefa'ak tried to move, but he couldn't. He snarled._

"_How could you know _anything_ about me?!" he asked angrily. "My master filled me in about your "extinct" race. He learned about Martians long ago. I never would've guessed that they really existed." Ma'alefa'ak grunted as he struggled._

"_Who is this master of yours anyway? What does he want with me?!" he demanded. Lucas shook his head. "He wants to remain anonymous for the time being. But as for you, he has big plans for this planet and wants you to assist."_

_Ma'alefa'ak chuckled evilly. "I have an agenda of my own, and no one is going to change it for me! You hear me human, NO ONE!" Lucas sighed. "First of all, my name is Lucas Luthor. And second, you _will _cooperate if you want to live."_

"_You think you can kill me? HAH! That's the worst bluff I've ever heard!" "I never said _I _would try to kill you. I'm leaving that to my master." He and the Key then looked over to their right, and Ma'alefa'ak followed._

_A great, grey man stood above them, with eyes as red as blood. Darkseid picked up Ma'alefa'ak by the neck. "If you want to live, Martian, you must do an assignment for me. I shall reward you if you do." _

_Ma'alefa'ak started to feel nervous now. He never heard a voice as deep and menacing as Darkseid's. "The only reward I desire is to see my brother die before my eyes! What is it you ask of me?!" he asked while struggling for breath._

"_I know of the civil war that took place on your home planet centuries ago. The war between the Green Martians, such as yourself…and the White Martians." Ma'alefa'ak stopped struggling and listened, now truly curious._

"_Your people defeated the White Martians and had the remaining survivors imprisoned deep within the caverns of Mars. I want you to return to your world and bring them to me. I have big plans for them" Ma'alefa'ak was surprised by this._

"_Why can't you get them yourself?" "Because, despite my great power, only a Green Martian can open the door to their prison. Since you, and this brother you mentioned, are the only Green Martians left, either of you can accomplish it. However, I've chosen you." _

_Ma'alefa'ak then turned silent, pondering his dilemma. "If I do this, will you let me go on my merry way and let me find and kill my brother?" he asked after a moment. Darkseid narrowed his eyes. _

"_You hold up your end of the bargain, and I shall do the same." "I'd take up on his offer if I were you." Lucas stated behind him, with Key nodding in agreement. Ma'alefa'ak then, to everyone's surprise, smiled._

"_Why not? From what I've seen of these humans, they are inferior to you and me. I am not fond of them whatsoever (Lucas wasn't bothered by this). If you plan to use the White Martians to wipe these filthy humans, then I think we have a deal." Darkseid smiled coldly. "Agreed."_

_Later on, Ma'alefa'ak returned to Mars and traveled deep beneath it's surface. It didn't take him long to reach a large door with ancient Martian writing on it. Ma'alefa'ak placed his hand over a black stone on the center of the door, which caused it too open._

_He then saw over a dozen White Martians. They were all in some form of hibernation. One by one, he took them to Earth in a unknown building, where Lucas was waiting._

"_Is this all of them?" Lucas asked after Ma'alefa'ak delivered the last one. "It is." he replied. Lucas nodded. "Good. However, to insure the success of the plan, we need to breed them to a much larger number." "And just how do you plan to do that?"_

"_Leave that to me. Good work, Ma'alefa'ak. I can take it from here; you can resume your search for your brother." he said dismissively. The Martian grunted as he marched out._

It was then that the memory had ended and everyone had returned to the present. What they saw disturbed him, especially Darkseid. For the first time, Clark saw the face of his true enemy. _'He's even more menacing than I thought he was.'_

"So this whole time, Lucas has been breeding an army of those things?" Oliver asked, shaken that Lucas would work for someone like Darkseid. "I'm afraid it is true, Oliver." J'onn said.

"How?" AC asked. Clark answered. "Lucas has been using technology from Luthorcorp and Kord Industries to breed the White Martians for takeover." He then turned his attention to Oliver. "He and Jarvis Kord have been on this together."

"Anymore shocking revelations we should know about?" Oliver asked. "Yeah. Remember the night we fought Metallo? And all those robberies from your company?" "How could I not?" he asked sarcastically.

"The metal that Metallo tried to steal, and the resources that Lucas managed to steal from you later were used to stabilize a machine that would tamper with the White Martian's minds. That way they could obey who they were programmed to obey."

Oliver appeared scandalized. "You're kidding me!" he exclaimed angrily. "But the ones that J'onn's brother found were in some kind of coma. Why didn't they wake before now, or the ones that were bred?" Hal asked.

"The only way to awaken the White Martians is to reach deep within their minds and use a certain codeword, which Ma'alefa'ak didn't mind to share. I'm sure it applies to the ones Lucas bred too." J'onn answered.

"But why have Jarvis Kord work with him?" Dinah asked. "That wasn't Lucas' original plan. He wanted to use the Queen Industries robberies to get Oliver to merge with Luthorcorp. It would give Lucas easier access to Oliver's remaining resources. Unfortunately for him, that plan backfired when Bruce Wayne showed up."

Batman widened his eyes in surprise for a moment, but only Clark (who smiled) noticed. "Thanks to Bruce, Lucas had to use another highly resourceful company: Kord Industries."

"Okay, now I'm really glad I went with Bruce instead of Lucas." Oliver stated. Batman smirked a little. "I've got another question: That brute Kalibak wanted the scarab that's currently bonded with Jaime. Do you know why?" Hal asked.

"I know about that too. First, Kalibak is Darkseid's son incase the rest of you are wondering." Clark said to group. "As for the scarab, Darkseid wanted it so that he could replicate and infuse it's technology on the White Martians, making them even stronger."

"How dangerous are these White Martians anyway?" Victor asked. "They are vicious monsters that won't hesitate to kill anyone they encounter. Many of my people died fighting against them. Learning of their return was very disturbing for me." J'onn answered grimly.

"But how does Darkseid plan to use the White Martians to takeover Earth? Why would Lucas help him?" Diana asked. "I don't know why Lucas would do this. But the White Martians are only part of "Project Apocalypse".

"Okay, stop right there. Where exactly are you getting all this info from?" Oliver asked. "When Chloe was kidnapped, Lois and Jimmy went to search for her and found Black Creek, the facility where the White Martians were being bred."

The group listened intently as Clark went on. "While they were there, they found the White Martians and downloaded all of Lucas' plans into a USB stick and kept it hidden from Lucas. After I rescued them, Lois showed me what they found."

"Is that place still intact?" Batman inquired. Clark shook his head. "No; it was leveled when I returned. Lucas and Jarvis are likely continuing the project somewhere else." Clark then took another sip of water.

"Project Apocalypse is a two part plan for Darkseid to take Earth. The White Martians are just the first half." He paused before continuing.

"On New Years day, The White Martians will be unleashed and will spread across the planet. An army of at least 50 or so will invade each country involved in the United Nations and take captive all the leaders of those countries. That way, no one would dare attack without putting their leaders in jeopardy."

"The UN?!" Diana asked incredulously. Clark nodded at the shocked group. "The White Martians are so powerful that their military wouldn't stand a chance, especially in those numbers. With the countries' leaders being held hostage, the second half of the project will proceed." "And what does _that_ involve?" Jaime asked nervously.

Clark looked around at everyone to be sure they were all alert to what he was about to say next.

"Part 2 of Project Apocalypse involves Darkseid using three objects to power an ancient machine to unlock something called the "Anti-Life Equation"." "What the hell is that?" AC asked.

"It was not mentioned in the files Lois found. But I do know that Darkseid hopes to find it on Earth…in the minds of humans. I think," Clark remembered the warning he received, "that it will somehow allow him to take control of humanity." The whole team showed displays of horror on their faces.

"You said that Darksied needs three objects. What are they?" Barry asked.

"The gauntlet of Heracles (Diana gasped), a large black diamond (Barry recalled his brother Malcolm telling him of it), and a replica of a hand made from some unknown rock (AC knew he was referring to Kordax's stone hand)."

"Well then, let's round up those things before grey face can get his hands on them!" Hal exclaimed. Clark, however, disagreed. "We're too late; Darkseid already has those artifacts."

"Then he has all he needs for the invasion?" Batman questioned, feeling more alert than ever. "I'm afraid so. But like I said, none of this will happen until New Years arrives…about a month from now"

"Around the same time Chelsea will reemerge from whatever Brainiac is doing to her?" Dinah asked. Clark nodded. "And according to the file, when this Anti-Life Equation is found the energy from the machine to locate it will cause a chain reaction in the planet's core…turning Earth into a spiting image of Darkseid's homeworld: Apokolips."

Now the team was really unnerved. "Oh god." Oliver whispered. Clark nodded. "That was my reaction too when I found out." Clark stated. After a moment for everyone to digest this alarming information, Clark spoke once more.

"I know this all sounds like something out of a nightmare, but it is all true. We have one month to find out where Lucas is and put a stop to him and Project Apocalypse before it's too late. Can I still count on all of you?" he asked.

The whole team (both his own and Oliver's) stood up as one. Looking at everyone, Oliver answered. "Clark, I think I speak for all of us when I say…You sure as hell you can count on us!" All the others agreed with him.

Clark smiled, knowing exactly what he and his friends are getting themselves into. "I'm glad to hear that." He then headed to the door. "Where are you going?" Batman asked.

"I need to check up on Chloe and her family. I'll be back in a bit. In the meantime, you can all get to know one another." he then walked out. The whole team then heard thunder and it started raining.

"Man, it's just perfect for a downpour." Jaime said depressingly as the rain fell. Batman became stiff. _'Lucius, I hope you've produced enough of that antidote by now!'_ Batman then moved to turn on a radio.

"What's up Bats?" Hal asked. Batman looked grim as he answered. "It's not just any rain storm…"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis General Hospital:

Back in his regular clothes, Clark walked right into Chloe's room. Only Lois and Jimmy kept her company. They were watching the TV in the room. "Hey guys." The trio looked up and saw him.

"Hey." They all said. "How're you doing Chloe?" Chloe's eyes still looked a little red, but she managed a smile. "I'm holding up, thanks." Lois instantly got up. "Please tell us you found out anything about Fine or Chelsea's whereabouts." she begged.

Clark sighed. "I'm sorry; I couldn't find anything about either of them. They just…vanished." This did not make them feel any better. Clark saw Chloe shut her eyes tight and covering them. Clark will tell her the truth next time the two of them were alone.

"I'm sure you're doing your best. You're not giving up, right?" Jimmy asked. Clark nodded. "Not by a long shot." That at least got a smile from Chloe, albeit a small one. "Where are your parents, Chloe?"

"Mom and dad went to talk alone somewhere. They said they'll be back soon." she answered softly. Clark smiled as he sat down in a nearby chair. "So, what are you watching?" he asked, changing the subject.

"The news, and it's not looking pretty…" "Hey! It's back on!" Jimmy exclaimed as he unmated the TV. They saw a male reporter standing in a police station.

"_Welcome back, this is George Corner of Channel 9 News. I'm here at Metropolis Police Department, where an autopsy is being performed on the body found at the harbor of the city."_

"A body?" Clark asked. "Hush!" Lois said impatiently. _"For those of you that just tuned in, a body was discovered in Metropolis' harbor an hour ago. When the fisherman found it, floating in the water, he discovered that while it was clearly a man…the face, according to the witness, was "burned off"."_

Clark widened his in surprise as the report continued. _"The fisherman called the police immediately and they brought the body here for examination. According to officials, we shall learn the identity of the man before long. In other news…"_

Jimmy muted it when he began to talk about the weather. "Compared to what will happen on New Years, this doesn't seem like a big deal." he said dully. Lois looked at Clark before he had a chance to ask.

"What Jimmy means is that, um…" But Clark motioned her to stop. "Don't bother. Steel filled me on what he learned from you." This surprised her and Jimmy. "He did? Oh, well…I didn't want to say anything about it 'cause it wasn't the right time." "I understand Lois." Clark said with a smile.

Just then, they heard a loud crack of thunder and the rain began to pour heavier. "Well, weatherman said we'd get several inches of rain today." Clark then suddenly became worried. _'Rain…'_

He remembered what Batman told him earlier, and he hoped that this rain wasn't… "He's back!" Chloe said as Jimmy unmated the TV again. They were back at MPD with George.

"_Hi, I'm back at Metropolis Police Department. We just now got confirmation about the body that was found in the harbor. Believe it or not, the body has been identified as Jarvis Kord, former CEO of Kord Industries."_

The whole group sat in shock from hearing that. _"Mr. Kord has not been seen for some time, mostly due to his work running his company. But now it seems that wasn't the case. How and why he died remains unclear. In related news, his nephew, Ted Kord, who has been in collage is expected to take over the company after hearing this news."_

Lois took the remote and turned off the TV. "What a way to go; by having his whole face barbequed." "No joke; they said that the face was so bad, they the police refused to let the camera men see it." Jimmy replied.

"What do you think Smallville? Clark?" Lois asked as she turned to Clark, but she saw that he had gone. She sighed. "Damn that farm boy! Never sticking around for a good conversation!"

"He must've went back to the Daily Planet to continue looking for Chelsea." Chloe guessed. She hoped that Clark would find something about her daughter before she was lost forever, not knowing that Clark already knew the situation.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location:

Lucas sighed as he watched the news from his office. "Hopefully that'll keep authorities busy for a while." He then checked over the tubes containing all the White Martians he was breeding.

'_Just one more month to go…'_

To be continued.


	58. Chapter 57 Storm

I'm back with another chapter! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 57: Storm

Metropolis General Hospital:

Clark headed to an empty room and dialed Batman's number. It didn't take long for him to answer. _"I take it you remember that this rain is deadly?"_

"I hadn't forgotten. If the rain here contains Ra's al Ghul's poison, we need to find a way to keep everyone exposed to it from dying." _"I synthesized an antidote from the container I brought back from Nepal. I sent it to a friend of mine, Lucius Fox, to produce more of it for a world-wide spread."_

Clark felt somewhat relieved. "That's good news. Do you know if he's produced enough of it yet?" _"I haven't heard from him. Until this matter is resolved, I strongly suggest no one goes outside. It's possible that the disease could spread from physical contact."_

"Meaning that if anyone exposed to the rain touches someone who hasn't…" _"Exactly. Plus, there are traces of kryptonite in that rain water, so you especially shouldn't go out there."_

Clark nodded. "Got it. How long before someone feels the effects of the poison?" _"I'm listening to the radio reports about similar storms like this. From what I've heard, a lot of people began to feel violently ill within a 10 minutes after exposure. After that, those people will die within a few hours."_

"Don't worry; I'll stay out of the rain and make sure no one leaves the hospital. But what do I do if there are people in here who have been exposed already?" Batman hesitated before answering.

"_Make sure they're isolated from everyone else. Remember, that antidote is the only chance they have."_ "Alright, thanks. Let me know if you heard from Lucius." _"Will do." _Batman said before hanging up.

Clark was in another dilemma: How was he going to prevent anyone from leaving the hospital? How could he tell them that the rain water is dangerous?

He looked into a nearby mirror and saw the "S" sticking out a little bit. This gave Clark an idea. With no one around, Clark super sped into his Steel disguise and proceeded to the reception area.

Once he arrived, nearly everyone was amazed at his appearance. In his deepened voice, Steel gave his warning. "Everyone, please listen to me! The rain outside is contaminated with a deadly poison that will kill anyone upon exposure! Has anyone in here been rained on?" he asked loudly.

The people seemed a little skeptical at first. "What makes you think the rain is _poisoned_? Who do you think you are?" an old man asked. Steel sighed. He hoped that at least a few people remember the Amazo attack.

"I am Steel; one of the two individuals who fought off that huge android that attacked Metropolis." Now everyone was interested. "My mom and I saw you on the news! I remember now!" a little boy shouted, smiling.

Steel nodded in confirmation. "I close friend of mine confirmed that the rain has been poisoned by a madman, and it is not just here…but it's happening across the whole planet!" At this, all of the people became frightened.

"But don't be afraid! A cure has been made is being mass produced as we speak! Very soon it shall be ready to save all of you…all of us!" After a moment, they seemed to believe him. Steel was glad that he had reached them.

"Now I ask again, has anyone in here been exposed to the rain outside?" He had hoped that no one had been outside recently, but he saw a few hands go up. They belonged to a couple of teenagers.

"My sister and I just got in a second ago, and we did get a little wet. But we seem to be fine." he said with a little uncertainty. Steel walked over to them and frowned. "That's because it takes at least 10 minutes before the poison takes affect."

The two teens looked horrified. "Have you two touched anyone since you've been rained on?" Steel asked. The boy's sister answered this time. "Well, no…we haven't touched anyone else." "Are you sure?" Steel asked firmly.

"We're sure." the boy said. Steel nodded. "In that case, you two better move to a private area; it's likely the poison could spread from contact." Without another word, the boy and his sister were escorted to an emergency room by a nurse (who was careful not to touch them).

"Thank you." A little girl said behind Steel. Steel smiled down at her. "Everything will be alright, I promise." She nodded as she hugged her mother. Steel then looked around one last time.

"Spread word to the rest of the hospital to not leave. And to get the emergency rooms ready: more sick people will arrive soon." he told the receptionist. She agreed and got the word out.

Steel then decided to super speed to Chloe's room to give her and her family the warning.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alley in Metropolis:

As the rain poured, a rather large amount of it came bursting out of the gutters. It slowly took the shape of a human, but it was erratic. The human formed was a tall blonde woman who was groaning from pain.

Linda Lake didn't understand what was going on, why she was hurting all of sudden. She tried to reform into water to escape down a sewer drain, but she seemed to lose control of her powers.

She was writing and lashing out from the pain; it felt like she was melting from the inside out. With horror, she saw her body turning into ash. She realized that the rain was somehow killing her and that her powers could not save her.

With one gurgle like scream, she finally died from the disease the had been unleashed.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Belle Reve:

Several patients down in Belle Reve also began to feel violently ill. Apparently, it all began when one of them came exposed to some rain leaking in from the ceiling. During lunch time, every person that patient touched also felt ill a little later.

None of them, or the doctors that were there, could explain this sudden rash of illness. The sick patients acted more violent than usual and began to develop green like rashes throughout their bodies.

The disease was spreading fast and no one seemed to know how it started.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

While the rest of the team was chatting, Batman stood in front of the window, watching the rain fall. He hoped that Clark got everyone to remain in the hospital until this crisis is over. Just then, Diana walked over to him.

"You alright?" she asked. Batman didn't look at her. "Killer rain is pouring down on innocent civilians across the world, and you're asking if _I'm_ alright?" he rebutted. Diana seemed a little taken aback.

"From what you have said, this Ra's al Ghul does not seem to care for humanity at all." "He thinks that he can "purify" humanity." "By slaughtering millions?!" she said incredulously.

Batman then turned to her. "Men like him aren't concerned for morality, as long as they can accomplish their goals." he answered darkly. Diana remained silent for a moment and then smiled at him. "I'm glad you're not like that."

Batman smirked. "How would you know that?" "Just a guess." she simply said before returning to the crowd. Batman seemed curious about the Amazon, but this thoughts were interrupted by a call through the phone receiver in his mask.

"_You always know how to talk to the ladies, huh?" _Batman grunted. "Good to hear from you Lucius. Is there enough of the antidote to conduct a planet wide spread?" _"Yes; that is some amazing stuff you had Alfred deliver to me!"_

"The raining has already started. Are you ready to send it out?" _"Large amounts of that stuff have been poured into several tanks, and were loaded onto several jet fighters at a local air force base."_

"How will they spread it?" Batman asked. _"I designed the antidote to change from a liquid to a gas. Those jets will spray it from those tanks they are carrying and it will spread everywhere. They will conduct a few surrounding sweeps to make sure everyone gets a whiff of that antidote." _Batman smiled

"Let's hope this works." _"You and me both. I think they should be heading out right about now." _Lucius then hung up. Batman looked back at the others. "Who were you talking too?" Jaime asked.

"A friend."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Skies:

One by one, fast jet fighters streaked to different parts of the world with their valuable payload.

It took them only minutes to catch up to the immense poisoned rain clouds covering their territories. With the click of a button, they've begun spraying the antidote over the areas that the rain had fallen in.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis General Hospital:

Steel had sped inside the room to find Chloe alone. "Hey Chloe". Clark said after taking off his shades. "Hey yourself." Chloe replied.

Clark sat next to her. "Feeling any better?" "Not since the last time you've asked." she answered depressingly. Clark looked down in sadness. "Where are Lois and Jimmy?"

"They went for a bite to eat. And I still haven't seen my parents; they've been gone for a while now." "I'm sure they haven't left the hospital." Chloe then looked more serious. "Would it because of that announcement advising everyone to remain in the hospital until further notice?" Clark nodded.

"I kind of had a hand in that." When Chloe looked like she was about to ask why, Clark told her about the poisoned rain, and about the antidote that Batman had given to Lucius Fox to mass produce. Chloe then felt relieved.

"Right before I walked in, I heard from Batman saying that the antidote is being spread as we speak. Soon everyone who has been infected will be fine." Chloe smiled, but then faltered at the word "fine".

"I'm glad to hear that, but please…are you absolutely sure you haven't found Brainiac or Chelsea?" Clark sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you the truth with Lois and Jimmy in the room. I do know where they are." Chloe then became more alert.

"Where is she? What is Brainiac doing to _my_ daughter?!" she asked hysterically. With reluctance, he told of what he learned from Blue Beetle. After that, Chloe tightened her grip on the bed rails.

"I'm so sorry Chloe. There was nothing he could've done…nothing we could've done." Chloe then turned away. Clark didn't need to see her face to know that she was hurting more than ever, and fearing what her child will become when she reemerges.

"On the upside, Oliver, Dinah, Victor, and even J'onn are back." he said, trying to cheer his best friend up. Chloe turned back with a small nod. "Glad to hear that. It's also good to know that our Martian Manhunter is still alive and kicking."

Clark took her hand and held it. "Listen Chloe, I _will_ find a way to get Chelsea back to you. You have my word on that." he promised. "I know you will." she whispered back.

With his super hearing, Clark heard people coming in. He quickly changed back into his normal clothes before the door opened. Gabe and Moira walked back in to find their daughter and Clark.

"Hey you two." Gabe said with a smile. "Hi." Moira said. "Hey." Clark and Chloe replied. Clark got up so that Moira can have his seat. "We heard you were trying to find Chelsea and her kidnapper. Have you had any luck?" Moira asked.

Clark shook his head. "No Mrs. Sullivan. Couldn't find a trace." he answered convincingly. After a moment of painful silence, Chloe spoke up. "So, what were you guys doing?" she asked curiously.

Gabe and Moira smiled to each other before answering. "Your father and I had been doing a lot of talking." Moira started. "And after a long discussion, we've decided…to get back together." Gabe finished.

Both Clark and Chloe were surprised. Chloe then found herself really smiling this time. "Really? You guys are really getting married again?" she asked. Both her parents nodded. "We are, sweetheart." Gabe replied.

Chloe then hugged both of her parents, while Clark smiled from behind. The door opened again just then, and Lois and Jimmy walked in. "Hey, what's up?" Lois asked, curious at the scene.

"My mom and dad are planning to get married again." Chloe said excitedly. Smiling back, Lois hugged her relatives, followed by Jimmy. "Speaking of weddings, there's still the one for you two." Moira said, referring to her daughter and Jimmy.

"Yeah, we know." Jimmy said embarrassingly. Clark silently backed away and looked out the window. The rain had finally stopped.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Over an hour later, reports came in from the news that the disease that had cropped up had been dissipated by a counter agent that some jet fighters had launched not much earlier.

All of the infected across the world had breathed in the antidote had completely recovered, including those two teens in Metropolis General. The mist was breathed in by everyone; it did nothing against those that weren't affected by the plague.

However, there appeared to be one side affect from the antidote. Reports soon came in that all of the meteor infected in Smallville and Metropolis (both in and out of Belle Reve), had lost their unique abilities.

This came as a shock for Chloe, who also had a meteor power. To experiment, she asked to see a cut Lois got recently so she can try to heal it. A few moments later, Chloe saw that nothing happened; the cut had not altered in the slightest.

Chloe knew that this meant that she was no longer meteor infected, but a normal human being once more. When asked by Clark how it feels to be normal again, Chloe gave a mixed reaction.

"I don't know. It…it's a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I feel glad to be like everyone else and not feel so…different. But on the other, I'm sad that I can't heal anymore. It's been so handy in the past; I even saved Jimmy with that power."

"I haven't forgotten that." Jimmy replied with a funny smile. "But overall, I think I'm going to be okay with it." "Glad you think that way." Lois said. "So when do you guys plan to remarry?" Chloe asked.

"Not until after you and Jimmy are. The young always have to come before the old." Gabe said awkwardly. "Did you read that from a fortune cookie?" Lois questioned. Gabe shrugged. "No, but I'm thinking about submitting it." Everyone laughed.

Clark then snuck out while everyone was laughing. He hoped to get back with the team at Oliver's. But before he could walk more than a few steps, the door swung open. "Just where do you think you're going Smallville?" Lois asked. Surprised, Clark quickly thought of an answer. "I was going to head back to the Daily Planet…" But Lois interrupted him.

"You've gotten nowhere to finding Chelsea or Fine. So let an expert like me give you helping hand." Clark sighed inwardly; he needed to get back with the team.

"Alright, let's go." As they walked, he formed a plan to ditch her.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Caves in Nepal:

Ra's al Ghul and Talia watched the news about the lifting of the plague. He was downright furious that all the planning and effort he put into "Genesis" had gone up in smoke.

"Damn it! How could this be?! How could anyone come up with a cure for my poison?!" he asked angrily. As he fumed, Talia remained silent. Though she appeared to be disappointed by their failure, inside…she wasn't. For she knew precisely how the project failed.

'_Thank you…beloved.'_ she thought while smiling.

To be continued.

Note: I hope this chapter didn't suck. I had work issues and didn't put much concentration in this one. So sorry!

And also, Linda Lake died much sooner than everyone else could because she was literally water thanks to her meteor power, and the poison spread through her faster.


	59. Chapter 58 Calm

Hi. I hope this chapter (and the rest that follow) will be much better than the last one! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 58: Calm

Unknown Location:

Lucas looked like a sour puss as he watched the news. He didn't anticipate anyone coming up with a cure for Ra's al Ghul's poison…and so quickly. This only made things much tougher for him.

"Well, so much for weakening Earth's defenses in the "super" category. At least the Key has everything under control at his end." he said to himself. Lucas then decided to contact him again.

However, when he tried to contact the base the Key was hiding at all he got a flashing red message: _Aconcagua base has been compromised. Base has self-destructed. _After the initial feeling of immense shock, Lucas yelled in outrage as he grabbed his hair.

"Why are things suddenly going wrong around me?!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Daily Planet:

As Clark and Lois reached the basement, Clark halted at the door. "Lois, you get started. I need to use the rest room." Exasperated, Lois told him to hurry up while she sat her desk. Lois was the only one down there at the time; everyone else was absent.

Not more than five minutes had gone by before she had a visitor. "Hello Miss Lane." Lois looked up and smiled; it was Steel. "Oh, hi. Um, I wasn't…expecting you." she said nervously with a slight blush. Steel seemed to like this side of Lois as he smiled back.

"I came by to tell you that I've found Oliver and his other friends. Well, most of them anyway. They're alright." he said, thinking about Bart. Lois seemed relieved. "Thank goodness. I owe you a lot." she said appreciatively.

"It's not over yet. Lucas and his master still need to be stopped, and I promise you that we will." he said. Lois nodded. "I have no doubt you will." She then thought of something. "Steel, I don't know if you are aware of it, but my cousin Chloe has given…"

"I know about her daughter." Steel then frowned. "And I also know about her being kidnapped. I'm sorry." Lois nodded, feeling sad herself. "Do you think you can find her?" Steel sighed. He wondered if he should tell her now that he was in disguise.

"I've sent one of my new allies to find her and the one responsible." "And? Any updates?" Lois inquired, hoping to hear something good. Steel hesitated for a few moments.

Steel didn't want to scare Lois with the knowledge, but he also knew how strong she was; probably as strong as Chloe, if not stronger. _'Could she handle it? Should I trust her with this?'_ he thought to himself. Finally, he decided.

"Lois, what I'm about to tell you is going to sound crazy, but it's true. You want to hear it?" Lois looked determined. "I'm all ears."

With that, Steel quickly told her about Brainiac and that he was responsible for getting Chloe pregnant with Chelsea, as well as him being Chelsea's kidnapper. And then he told Lois about Blue Beetle finding them on the moon and learning of Chelsea's growth rate.

When he was done, Lois was flabbergasted. "Oh god. Feels like I'm in the twilight zone." she said softly as he held on to her desk for support. Steel then held her shoulders.

"Listen, everything is going to be alright. I will make sure of that. Okay?" he said in a firm, but gentle tone. Though shaken, Lois looked at Steel's shades and smiled. "Okay." Steel nodded back as he turned to leave. But Lois stopped him.

"Wait!" Steel halted. "Please, I want to know who you are." Steel turned around, sighing. "You know who I am." he answered. Lois walked in front of him. "No. I meant…who you _really_ are. I want to know the man behind those fancy sunglasses."

Steel backed off a few steps. "I can't tell you that." Lois then became frustrated. "Why the hell not?! I know that the Green Arrow and Star City's eligible bachelor are the same guy, so why can't I know you?" she asked hot headedly.

"That was different; you discovered his secret yourself. And you know why he didn't tell you, right?" Steel asked. Lois groaned. "He wanted to protect me." she answered reluctantly.

"Exactly. You've put yourself in life threatening situations on a near daily basis, and that was without knowing my secret. If you knew, you'd be in more danger than you can imagine. I refuse to put you through that." Steel said sincerely.

"Doesn't make me feel better." she replied. "I'm sorry." Steel didn't want to see Lois so disappointed. But he knew his secret had to be kept from her. _'But…maybe I can tell her something…'_ he thought.

"Lois." "What?" she asked, still let down. Steel then smiled. "While I've been away, I have been thinking about you…a lot." Lois raised her eyebrows. "Meaning?" Steel struggled, for he never imagined he'd talk to her this way.

"Even though I can't tell you my real identity, I can tell you something just as important." "What could be as important?" she questioned. Steel looked around to make sure they were still alone, and then answered.

"Lois Lane, you are perhaps…the most important person in my life." Lois' eyes widened. "I've never met anyone like you. You're strong, independent, caring…though a little rough around the edges. I'm glad to have met you."

For a while, Lois was speechless. She didn't know what to say, though her increased blushing said a lot. Finally, she got her voice back. "Really?" she barely said above a whisper.

"Really." Steel replied with a warm smile. Seeing Lois so appreciated made him feel happy inside. "Maybe, someday…I will tell you. But for now, this is all I can give."

He then did something Lois did not expect: He walked over to her and kissed her tenderly.

He broke it a moment later and then super sped away. Lois collapsed in her chair, feeling breathless.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

The whole gang stood up as Clark walked in. "Sorry to keep you guys waiting." "Hey, don't worry about it. We've actually gotten to know a lot about each other." Oliver said as he walked up to Clark. "Particularly, Hal. I'd to work with him sometime."

"Glad to hear it." he replied. He then got everyone's attention. "Alright guys. I'm sure you all need to get back to your homes and recuperate. But afterwards, I want you all to try to find out where Lucas is hiding. I will do the same here."

They all nodded. "Remember, we have only a month before all hell brakes loose. Thank you all once again for your aid today. We'll all meet back here in a month from now for the main assault, alright?"

Everyone agreed as they each left one by one. As Diana was about to leave, she noticed something different about Clark and smiled. "What Diana?" Clark asked as he noticed her looking at him. She shrugged. "Nothing." she said in a playful tone before flying off.

Batman approached him next. "You sure have a way with speeches." he said grumpily before walking towards the balcony, where his plane hovered. He jumped in, and after the cockpit closed he flew off into the barely still night.

Clark smirked at Batman's remark. The only ones left now were Clark, Oliver, Dinah, Victor, and AC. "You guys get some sleep." "And you? You've probably done the most work here. You must be really sleep deprived." Victor remarked.

"I appreciate it Victor. I'll get some shut eye soon, but I still have a few more things to take care of." He then super sped out, leaving his friends to recover from their recent ordeal.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Daily Planet:

Lois was still in her chair, barely breathing, when Clark walked back in. He tried to act surprised. "Lois, you feel alright?" She snapped out of it when she heard him. She struggled to regain her composure.

"Oh hey! Uh, so…you've been on the john a while, huh?" Though Clark didn't show it, he was amused to see Lois so caught off guard. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. Have you found anything about Chelsea or the kidnapper?"

Lois then got up. "Actually, I've heard from a very reliable source about Chelsea." "Oh?" Clark said, curious. "Yeah, um…you may not believe me." "Try me." Clark challenged.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Metropolis General Hospital:

After their discussion at the Planet, Clark and Lois returned to the hospital. While she went to get them snacks, Clark moved in at Chloe's room. He found her trying to sleep, but stirred when she saw him.

"Well look who's back." she said. Clark smiled and chuckled a bit. "I just wanted to check on you one more time before I head off to see Kara and get some sleep." Chloe then sat up.

"That's right, Kara is still on another planet." Clark nodded. "I need to bring her up to speed. And tomorrow, after we all get some shut eye, I can come back and tell you of the trip there." he suggested. Chloe nodded.

"You do that. Good night Clark. And…" "Yeah?" he asked as he was about to leave. "Thank you." Clark smiled as he walked out. Chloe then laid down and closed her eyes.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kandor:

_Kara was leaning against a tall tree, looking out at the sunset. Sitting next to her was the guy she loved more than anyone: Brainiac 5. "Look at that sunset. It's beautiful, isn't it Brian?" she asked him._

_The other blonde smiled back. "It is. But not nearly as beautiful as you." They then close their eyes and lean in to kiss. Not feeling his lips touching hers for several seconds, Kara opened her eyes again. Brainiac 5 had disappeared._

"_Brian? Brian where did you go?" Suddenly, the entire scene changed. It felt the whole ground was shaking apart. Kara then flew up to avoid falling into a freshly opened crevice._

_This horrified her. Not only that, but the sky was also dissolving. "Brian!! Where are you?! Please, answer me!!" Kara shouted. She then heard an evil laugh from right behind her._

_She turned to see none other than Brainiac himself. He smiled evilly. "Your boyfriend is gone. He will never return. And you know why? Because he knew you and him were never meant to be. The idea that two people from different times can be together is both naïve and pathetic."_

_Kara, swelled with anger, yelled as she fired her heat vision at Brainiac. He disintegrated, but his remains reformed into a much larger version of himself. He towered over Kara. _

"_You should know better than to attack something you can't kill." He then raised his massive hand up and slammed it down on Kara._

Kara shot out of bed, screaming like hell. She looked around crazy like, and saw that she was in her bedroom. Breathing hard, she tried to get that dream out of her head. Kara then covered her eyes and sobbed softly.

A few minutes later, she grabbed her covers and almost screamed as she heard knocking on her door. "Who's there?!" she asked, her voiced raised in alarm. The voice calmed her down significantly.

"It's me Kara. Can I come in?" After the shock wore off, Kara got out of bed and opened the door to find her cousin standing there. She hugged him instantly. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you Clark."

"I can imagine." Clark said as he walked in and both he and Kara sat on the bed. "I came here a minute ago and was asking your mother to see you, but then we heard you screaming. She said I should go and talk to you first. You okay?"

Kara shook her head. "I haven't been able to sleep. I keep having bad dreams about Brian leaving me and never returning." Clark nodded. "It hasn't been that long ago he returned to the future. It'll take time for this to pass." he assured.

"But this time was worse. I saw Brainiac and he taunted about me and Brian not being meant for each other. It was horrible." Clark sighed; he was starting to get really sick of hearing of Brainiac everywhere he goes.

'_It's funny you should mention Brainiac.' _Clark thought. "I'm sorry. But I'm here now. I missed you." he said with a warm smile.

Kara smiled back. "Me too, but it's only been a few days since you returned to Earth." Clark nodded. "After everything that's happened, it feels like a whole week's gone by." he said jokingly. Kara became curious.

"Sounds like you've been busy." Clark gave a humorless laugh. " 'Busy' would be an understatement." "What happened after you got back?" she asked.

First, Clark told Kara of what happened on Earth while both of them had been away, which left her pretty stunned. He then went on to explain everything that happened after he got back.

Half an hour later, Clark finally finished with his story. Kara couldn't even begin to express how shocked she was. "All of that happened?! Chloe having a daughter by Brainiac? Lucas working for Darkseid? That poisoned rain storm?" Clark nodded.

"All of it." Kara was silent for moment, trying to process everything. "Why didn't you come and get me? I could've helped!" she shouted angrily. "You wanted to stay here longer. I didn't want to pull you back into the action so soon. You should return when _you_ feel like it, not when someone else tells you." he explained.

Kara nodded. "I appreciate it. But if you need help, you shouldn't hesitate to ask me. We are family you know." she said firmly. "I know." A moment of silence went by in the room.

"Can we stop all this when the time comes?" Kara asked. Clark looked resolute as he answered. "We will…we have to." "And what about Chelsea? What will we do when we encounter her?" Clark looked much less certain and didn't answer.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Moon:

Inside the metallic protection provided by Brainiac, Chelsea began growing in an abnormal rate. During this time, one of her eyes opened. And inside it was a triangular symbol with three circles.

To be continued.


	60. Chapter 59 Ceremony

Hey! Here is a chapter I really hope you all will like. Enjoy!!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 59: Ceremony

Kent Farm:

It was the early evening as the sun began to set in the sky. The fields were quiet, but there was activity within the house and barn.

Two weeks had gone by since Clark had returned to Earth and rescued all his friends and loved ones. Afterwards, Clark and Lois had been doing everything they could to prepare for another big event…the long awaited wedding between Chloe and Jimmy.

Clark had suggested to have the ceremony on the farm, where it could be private. Lois, after much persuading from Clark and Chloe, agreed.

Lois and Moira helped Chloe on her end of the ceremony, while Clark and Gabe assisted Jimmy. They've had some difficulty, but everyone managed to find the perfect tuxes and dresses, hired the right chefs and bought the right decorations.

Though he still found himself to be very busy, Clark was glad he was not "saving the world" busy as he told Chloe a few days before the big day. As he put on his tux, Clark felt somewhat relieved.

On the one hand, he was happy that Chloe and Jimmy finally decided to wed, despite their previous plan to marry later. He understood why of course; they were perfect for one another.

Clark appreciated the fact that there was some peace now. But on the other hand, he knew it won't last long. He knew that it will be New Years in a few weeks, and it was the day he and his friends have to be ready to fight for Earth's very survival.

Not only that, but Chelsea will return around that same time. Clark had no clue what to expect when that happens, but he was certain that it cannot be good if Brainiac was involved.

'_What does Brainiac want Chelsea for?'_ He kept asking himself that question for these past two weeks, growing more worried about what the answer would be. But for now, his only concern was the wedding.

Clark absentmindedly looked up in his closet. On the top shelf was the metal case Tyr-Us had given him before he left Kandor. He hadn't touched it since he put it there. He wondered when he was supposed to open it…

"Clark. You ready yet?" Gabe called as he knocked on Clark's door. "Just finished putting on my tie." Clark answered as he opened his door. Gabe's suit was lighter than Clark's, but still looked good on him.

"You look great." Gabe said. "Thanks. How's Jimmy?" "He should be finishing up now. You check up on him while I see Chloe." he smiled as he walked away.

Clark then knocked on the door Jimmy was dressing in. "Yeah?" "It's Clark. Can I come in?" "Go right ahead, CK." Clark walked in to see Jimmy in his black tux. "How's the groom?" he asked. Jimmy chuckled.

"Like I'm about to drown in sweat. Can a guy be _that_ nervous?" Clark smiled. "You're getting married tonight; it's natural to be nervous. You'll be fine." "You think?" the nervous groom asked. Clark nodded.

"I'm sure Jimmy. You'll make Chloe a happy wife." Jimmy then frowned, which Clark noticed. "What is it?" "It's just that…Chloe hasn't really been happy lately. I know it's not about me!" he said defensively. "The thing is…"

"Chelsea." Clark correctly guessed. Jimmy nodded. "Look CK, we both know that Chelsea is not exactly a "normal" kid, but she's still Chloe's kid! Ever since she was taken from the hospital, Chloe has been trying to be strong and look forward to the wedding…"

"She has been. I know that Chloe wants to marry you, and nothing would stop her. But it can't be easy for a mother to lose her child." Jimmy understood. "I just can't believe Chelsea has been gone this long and we haven't heard anything from the police! I don't see how Chloe can handle it."

"Chloe is a strong person, and it's because she has family and friends to love and support her. And pretty soon, you will be on the top of her support list." Clark said. Jimmy nodded. "You're right Clark. How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Clark asked. "Always knowing the right thing to say." They both laughed.

Meanwhile, Lois and Moira were examining Chloe in her wedding dress. She looked beautiful in it. "Wow, look at you! Jimmy's jaw will hit the floor when he sees you walking down the isle." Lois said as Chloe looked at herself in the mirror.

"Yeah, definitely." Chloe said softly while smiling. Her mother and Lois looked at each other. "Honey, you don't very enthusiastic. Are you okay?" Chloe turned around, still smiling. "Sure! Everything's just fine."

The way she talked didn't strike Lois as "fine". Before she could ask, Gabe knocked. "How is my favorite little girl in there?" "I'm good, dad. Come in." Gabe walked in and whistled.

"Chloe, you look incredible." Chloe still smiled. "Thanks dad." Moira then got her ex's attention. "Gabe, we should get ready; the ceremony will be starting soon. Lois, can you handle it from here?" "No prob. Aunt Moira."

"See you in a bit sweety." Gabe said as he and Moira walked out, leaving the cousins alone. There was a brief moment of silence before Chloe spoke. "So, um…Lucy was able to make it tonight?" she said, trying to make small talk.

Lois agreed as she handed Chloe her veil. "Yeah; she managed to get a few days off from her job to come here. But I'm telling you, she takes longer to put on a dress than me!" she said with a laugh. Chloe just smiled.

"But it's sad that neither Brian or Lana will be coming." Chloe nodded as she turned back to the mirror. "Well, I haven't heard from Lana since she left after recovering from her coma. And Brian…I can't expect to have a dead brother to come to my wedding, right?" she said while looking a little sad.

"I still can't believe that hit and run happened to him. Brian was a nice, smart guy. He didn't deserve to be road kill. And it only happened a week ago." Chloe then looked down.

She knew that wasn't the real reason for his absence, but it was a good one. Still, it made her sad for him to not be there. "I guess that's my curse." Lois looked taken aback. "Excuse me?"

Chloe turned back toward Lois, on the verge of tears. "My mother was meteor infected and got taken away from me! My dad had to live in another state miles away because of a dangerous man! My brother was killed by a careless driver! And now my infant daughter is in the hands of a maniac!" she shouted.

Wide-eyed, Lois felt the hurt coming from her cousin's voice. "The bottom line is that my family is cursed! Everyone related to me gets taken from me in one way or another! What if you and Lucy are next? What if…Jimmy's next?!"

Lois walked over and grabbed her cousin by the shoulders and looked at her squarely in the eye. "Chloe! Stop it!" At once, Chloe fell silent.

"Listen to me! Your family is _not_ cursed, alright? Yes, your mom and dad were taken from you, but they came back! There's nothing we can do about Brian, but I'm pretty damn sure you will get Chelsea back! As for Jimmy, he couldn't be luckier to be marrying you! You won't lose him! And you're certainly not going to lose me or Lucy! Understand?"

Chloe didn't answer. Lois then softened up a bit. "How long have you felt like this?" Her cousin sniffed. "Since losing Chelsea." Lois hugged her.

"It's going to get better, cuz. Just wait; someday, you'll look into the face of fate and spit in it!" Chloe gave a painful chuckle. After a long moment of silence, they broke and Lois proceeded to help Chloe with her make up.

"But right now, you've got a groom waiting to say "I do!". So dry up those tears and let's get busy."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Some time later, it was time for the wedding. The ceremony itself took place in the barn. It looked so different with all the decorations and the people dressed up in it. Only family and close friends were there.

The alter stood at the far end of the barn, with the minister standing proudly. On his right, Jimmy stood with anticipation and nervousness. Standing with him were Clark and Oliver (who helped with the decorating).

In the crowd, Clark saw his mom in a dark pink dress, smiling warmly at him. He also spotted some of the former meteor infected that frequently visited the Isis Foundation and wanted to repay Chloe for everything she did. He also saw some people he knew were friends of Jimmy there. Moira was also there, directly opposite of Martha.

They all stood on either side of the barn, waiting. Behind the altar stood the band, who awaited to play. A few minutes later, the music began when the first of the bride's maids appeared: Kara. She wore a pretty white dress, quite similar to the one she wore in Kandor.

Clark smiled as she approached, and she smiled back as she stood on the bride's side of the altar. Next was Lucy, who wore a white pink dress. After her was Lois, wearing a red dress. Clark was instantly turned on, but he kept himself in check.

Next, the flower girl appeared. She was a young 9 year old with a cute white dress on. She spread red rose petals on the ground as she walked down. After she stopped by the woman Clark assumed was her mother, the crowd looked through the door in anticipation.

It was time for the bride to appear as the "Here comes the Bride" theme was played. Jimmy waited for his woman to march down the isle. He only waited for a few seconds before she appeared.

Chloe Sullivan walked down the isle, with her dad's arm around hers. They both smiled as they approached the altar. As she walked, Chloe eyed Jimmy and saw how handsome he looked. Then she looked over at Clark, who smiled happily.

"Thank you". she mouthed while moved her bouquet up a little. Clark nodded, getting the message. Before Chloe got to her dressing room, Clark stopped by and let her "borrow" the boutonnière she gave him at the Spring Formal in freshman year.

That boutonnière was part of the bouquet Chloe was carrying. To Clark, Chloe did seem happy. Once they've reached the altar, Gabe kissed her on the cheek and stood next to Moira.

Both Jimmy and Chloe stood before the altar as the minister began. Clark and company watched and listened as the minister's speech about love and commitments. After that, Clark handed the couple the rings. Finally, he reached the big question.

"James Olsen, do you take Chloe Sullivan to be your lawfully wedded wife…to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

"I do." Jimmy said as he slipped Chloe's ring on her finger, smiling. His smile made Chloe forget about her worries; all her thought and attention was for the man right in front of her.

The minister then turned to Chloe. "Chloe Sullivan, do you take James Olsen to be your lawful wedded husband…to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

Chloe looked into Jimmy's eyes and any fear she had melted away. "I do." She then proceeded to slip Jimmy's ring on his finger. Clark, Lois, and all the others smiled happily for them. Moira cried a little, and Gabe held her to support her.

Satisfied, the minister gave his last words. "Then by the power invested in me…I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." he said to Jimmy. Without hesitation, Jimmy lifted the veil from Chloe's glowing face and kissed her passionately. Everyone clapped loudly for the newlyweds, especially Clark and Lois.

After the applause died down, Chloe turned her back to the crowd and lifted the bouquet above her shoulder. Instantly, every single woman in the crowd gathered directly behind Chloe, hoping one of them will catch it (Clark hoped it wouldn't be Kara).

As Chloe threw the bouquet, all the women's arms reached out for it. And to everyone's surprise (especially herself), Lois was the one who caught it. Even Clark was amazed. Chloe tried not to laugh at the expression on her cousin's face.

In the reception, everyone watched as Jimmy and Chloe had the first dance. Lois watched the couple from the food buffet. "They look happy, don't they?" Clark asked as he joined her. Lois just took a bite out of a finger sandwich.

"They sure do." They stood in awkward silence. "So, you got the bouquet. Surprising, huh?" "Yeah, uh…surprising. I actually thought Kara would get it; she was right in front of me." Clark laughed. "Really…so did I." he lied.

Again, they stood in silence watching the newlyweds dance. It wasn't long before everybody else was allowed to join in. Clark got a little overprotective as he saw Kara dance with one of Jimmy's friends.

As he stood alone, Clark wondered if he should take a chance and dance with Lois. As he was about to go ask her, someone tapped on the shoulder from behind. He turned to see a dark haired young man with a short beard in a dark suit of some kind.

"Kal-El, I need to talk to you in private." he asked. "What did you call me?" Clark asked in a shocked voice. The man looked to see if nobody was looking and, very carefully, showed a certain ring that Clark had seen before.

Instantly, Clark knew the two of them had to talk. "In the my room in the house, nobody's there." he whispered. The man nodded and followed. Once they moved up to Clark's bedroom, the man introduced himself.

"First of all, it is both an honor and privilege to meet you Kal-El. I'm Rokk Krinn, codenamed "Cosmic Boy". Also a founder, and current leader, of the Legion." He and Clark then shook hands.

"When you showed me that ring, I knew you were a friend of Brainiac 5." Clark said. Rokk nodded. "How is he?" the Kryptonian asked. The Legionnaire looked uncomfortable.

"He's fine…other than being on probation." Clark was stunned by what he heard. "_Probation?_" "Yes. Brainiac 5 broke a lot of rules coming back to this century. When he returned and explained everything, the Legion took a vote on how to punish him. The majority chose probation, rather than expulsion."

"Were you one of the ones who voted to kick him out?" Clark inquired angrily. Rokk sighed. "No, but I was upset by his tampering with the timeline. He has been prohibited from all active Legion duty until further notice."

Clark felt very angry about this. "He didn't deserve it, Rokk! All he wanted was to give Earth a better future! He has been a big help to me and my friends while he was here!" he responded without resorting to shouting.

Rokk stood firm. "But he also nearly caused Earth's destruction." "That wasn't his fault; Brainiac was controlling him!" Clark retorted. "Brainiac 5 should have known the consequences of traveling to a time where his ancestor still functioned." Rokk said.

"He took precautions before he left…" "Precautions that were instantly erased, thanks to Kalibak." Clark couldn't think of anything else to say to defend his friend. Rokk sighed again and spoke less harshly.

"I'm sorry Kal, I really am. But Brainiac 5 said he was prepared to face punishment, and he was glad he wasn't expelled from the Legion. He took it like a man." This did not make Clark feel any better.

"If Kara heard all of this, she would never forgive you." he said. Rokk nodded. "Like I said, I wasn't on the group that voted to expel him. But you're right; Kara is much more hot headed than you."

"You haven't met her." "I don't have too; it was on all the data we have on her." Rokk said. Clark took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He then turned back to Rokk.

"You didn't come here just watch Jimmy and Chloe do the tango." he stated. Rokk shook his head. "No Kal. I need to speak to you about an important matter." Clark then spoke before Rokk could.

"You and the Legion punished Brainiac 5 for traveling back in time and changing things. So why is it okay for you to be here?" "Because, unlike Brainiac 5, you're the only one I intend to talk to before heading back." Clark understood.

Rokk then crossed his arms. "Darkseid is not the only threat to Earth…" "I know Lucas Luthor is involved with him. He's just as dangerous, if not more, than Lex." Clark said.

"We both know that Lucas is just a pawn for Darkseid. The threat I'm talking about is even worse than Darkseid." Clark couldn't imagine anyone, or anything, worse than an evil interplanetary tyrant.

"And unfortunately, it's Brainiac 5's fault that this threat emerged in the timeline." Rokk said. Clark became angry again. "What the hell are you talking about?!" he whispered ferociously.

"In the original timeline, Darkseid was the one who brought Earth to it's knees. But now that's changed. A new terror will appear and kill everyone on this planet. No one will be able to stop it…not even you." Rokk said gravely.

Clark was horrified. "What are you talking about? And how is this Brainiac 5's fault?" "This new threat will be awakened by a young woman on New Years." Clark was about to ask who this woman was, but the answer came to him as fast as lightning.

"Chelsea." Rokk nodded. "As you know, when Brainiac 5 attacked Amazo, he downloaded a part of his ancestors programming in the android's mind. Amazo became possessed by Brainiac, and then he separated himself so that he could kidnap Chloe's daughter from the hospital."

Clark listened with increased apprehension. "He then took Chelsea to the moon and altered his body into chrysalis to sustain and grow her." Rokk then looked at Clark in the eye.

"Kal, Chelsea became a danger to Earth itself by Brainiac 5's meddling in the past." Clark shook his head, shocked by this. "Chloe's daughter will cause Earth's annihilation?" he asked in disbelief. Rokk nodded. "I'm sorry Kal."

Clark grinded his teeth and clenched his fists. "Why would she do that? She's Chloe's daughter for God's sake!" "She is also Brainiac's offspring. It wouldn't be so surprising if she acted just like him since he's the one "raising" her, don't you think?" Clark remained silent for a moment, hating to ask.

"Rokk, what will Chelsea unleash on Earth? How will she do it?" he asked, trying to contain his anger. The Legionnaire shook his head. "That won't be your problem. When the time comes, the Legion will handle Chelsea, and Brainiac if he pops up. You and your allies must focus on stopping Darkseid."

"Not my problem?!" Clark almost shouted in outrage. Remaining calm, Rokk tried to talk Clark down. "As I stated earlier, you cannot stop the horror that Chelsea will unleash." "And you think you and the Legion can?"

"It won't be easy, but yes. I'll bring in just the right people for the job." Clark then grew angrier. "You're going to kill her, aren't you?" he asked in a threatening voice. Rokk didn't answer right away. "If it comes down to it…" Clark then grabbed him by the collar.

"Chloe is my best friend, and you plan on killing her daughter!" "Kal, it will only be a last resort." he said. "It shouldn't be an option at all! Even though she is Brainiac's child, she also has human blood in her veins! You should at least talk to her, try to convince her that what she's doing is wrong!"

"You don't know if she will listen to reason." Rokk stated rationally. "You can at least try! If you don't think the Legion can do that, then I will be the one to handle her." "You must deal with Darkseid. You can't handle him and Chelsea at the same time." Clark stood in silence. "You have to promise me that you and the Legion will not kill Chelsea, and try to hold her off until I get to her."

"You believe you can reach Chelsea, in spite of the amount of manipulation Brainiac will have on her?" Rokk asked in confusion. "If anyone can reach the daughter of Chloe Sullivan, it will be me."

Rokk thought about it and gave his answer. "Kal-El, you have my word that the Legion won't consider killing Chelsea and let you confront her if you make it in time." With that, Clark released him.

"Thank you." Rokk nodded. "And technically, it's Chloe Sullivan Olsen now." he corrected. Clark smirked. Rokk then looked at his ring. "Well, it's settled then. I'll see you on the day the Earth's fate hangs in the balance.

Clark nodded as Rokk took out the time remote the Brainiac 5 used before. "Be careful Kal." he said right before he pressed the button and vanished. Alone in his room, Clark thought about all he heard and hoped that Chelsea can be stopped without resorting to murder.

To be continued.

Note: Sorry for the delay. I had a cold last week and wasn't up to doing this chapter then. Also, I hope you guys will go easy on me about this; I'm not used to writing a chapter with a wedding in it.


	61. Chapter 60 Preparations

Hey! This is it; the final arc of my story begins now!! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 60: Preparations

The Daily Planet, New Years Eve:

Lois was having her afternoon coffee break. She had been writing up on a story, but found that she didn't quite feel up to it today; her mind was elsewhere.

"Lois, how's your story coming along?" Clark asked as he joined her. Lois shrugged. "Ugh, I'm a little slow today Smallville." "How come?" Lois had put down her mug.

"My mind's not exactly on doing second rate stories like this." she said as she showed Clark what she wrote. He read with confusion. "Lois, you don't usually get into stories unless they felt "news worthy" to you." Lois sighed.

"Compared to what Jimmy and I uncovered over a month ago, nothing else feels big enough for the front page." she said depressingly. Clark then leaned closer. "This is because of what will happen tomorrow, isn't it?"

Lois sighed. "Face it Clark, for everyone else tomorrow is the first day of the new year. But to us…" she stopped. Clark knew what she was feeling and tried to comfort her.

"The world won't be ending tomorrow. Steel and the others will make sure of that. We just have to believe in them." he said. Lois smiled and nodded. "Thanks for the pick me up. You're more effective than my Hazelnut." she replied.

Just then, Clark got a text message on his cell phone. After reading it, he felt alert. "Who's it from?" Lois asked after seeing Clark's face. After putting his phone away, he looked more calm.

"I have to get going; my own story lead just came up." As he began to walk out, he turned back to Lois. "Lois." "Yeah?" she asked. "I should've asked you this awhile back but: When you and Jimmy found out about Lucas and his "plans", why didn't you go public with it? You had evidence to back you up."

Lois got up and looked firm. "I could have; it would've been my best story ever." "Then why…?" "Because some things are more important than getting the best scoop of your career and seeing it on the cover page."

Clark stood surprised. "By revealing all that info to the "right people", the only people who can stop Armageddon, I felt that I actually made a difference. I couldn't do that with the Daily Planet."

Clark smiled. "I'm glad you made the right choice. I'll catch up with you later." He then walked out of the basement. Lois smirked as she returned to her paper.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

Clark arrived to see Chloe, Oliver and his team there. "Hey guys." he said to his friends. They all greeted him. Clark then turned to Chloe. "I got your message Chloe. What is this "big update" you mentioned?"

"Oliver and Victor made a major breakthrough in finding Lucas and Darkseid." Oliver stepped up, smirking.

"Yep. Remember that box you took from the Key after you took him down?" "What about it?" Clark asked. Victor came forward with it. "Turns out that this gizmo is not just a "box". And it can do a whole lot more than teleporting from place to place."

"Which, by the way, was how zombie face managed to catch us all at different locations in record time. And how Lucas got away from us that night." Oliver explained. "What is it, then?" Clark questioned.

"We still don't have a clue in that department. But we _did _learn that it wasn't made here on Earth. Probably a present from Darkseid when Lucas teamed up with him. It is essentially "technology", so I thought I could hook up to it and dig up anything." Victor said.

"It took him a while to access it, since it isn't tech we're clueless with, but what he found later was pretty mind boggling, to say the least." Dinah admitted. "I still don't understand." Clark said, not knowing where they were going with this. Chloe then handed Clark a piece of paper with numbers on them.

"These look like coordinates." he said after a moment of studying it. "Bingo. Those are latitudes and longitudes that the box had recorded for the last several months." Chloe explained.

"In other words, Lucas had been using this thing to get most of his plans in motion for tomorrow's big event." Clark surmised. "Got it bro." AC said. "Don't you just hate it when the bad guys have the cooler toys sometimes?" he joked.

Clark smiled before looking back at Oliver. "And if you would please take a look at the monitor behind you…" Clark and the others turned to see a computer monitor with the image of Earth with flashing red dots.

"Those red dots are the coordinates Victor hacked from the box's memory bank." Oliver explained. "Once we got the numbers, we just had to line them up with the spots they lead too."

Clark looked at a dot in northern California. "That dot right there is in Gateway City…where I met Diana." "And where the two of you fought that feisty Cheetah, who happened to be working for Lucas. He must've let her borrow it for her part of his plan." Chloe said.

"And over here." Victor pointed to certain spot in Montana, where Clark looked. "That's around where the Key jumped me." "And that spot in Atlantic City was where he popped up to try and catch me and Bart." AC noted.

Clark nodded. "I get it now. If we have all the records of where that box was used, we can find out where Lucas is hiding." "Yes, because Lucas used it to make his getaway." Chloe said.

"Luckily, I not only found these "hot spots", but I've also been able to list them from the most recent use to the last." Victor said. "Here." Dinah pointed at a spot in Kansas.

"We narrowed that one at the Luthor Mansion where Lucas was last scene before disappearing from the world." "He must have gone to Black Creek after he fled, because that was where I found him next." Clark stated.

"Yeah, but where did he run to after your "subtle" break in?" Oliver asked. He used a remote to adjust the monitor to focus on another hot spot on the map. "This might give us a clue." he smirked.

It focused on the islands in Hawaii. "That is Niihau, the "Forbidden Isle". It has a U.S. Navy installation there, but after some digging around we noticed it hasn't been housing the Navy lately. According to our tracking list, this spot appeared not long after you left Lucas at Black Creek." Oliver explained.

Clark nodded. "So that's where he is now…preparing the White Martian army." "Sure is." AC said. "Could Darkseid be with him?" "We don't know if he's here or relaxing on that home planet of his, but we do know something else pretty interesting."

"What else did you find?" Oliver focused the monitor again on a dot on another island. "Alcatraz?" Clark asked. "Former prison facility, and popular tourist attraction…until people stopped going there."

"Apparently, Alcatraz hasn't had any visitors this past year." Chloe said. "From what I could find on my laptop, nobody wanted to visit there because of constantly violent waves that made boating impossible."

"The thing is, that dot in Alcatraz…was the very first one to appear, according to the box." Victor said. Clark instantly knew what it meant. "Darkseid's there." he said softly.

"That would be an appropriate spot for our jolly grey giant to began his enslavement of all mankind.." Oliver said gravely. "Could he be there now?" "Again, we can't be sure. But I don't think that Darkseid would visit that place to check out the old prison cells." Dinah said.

Clark understood. "You and the team better suit up Oliver. I'll call in Kara and get in touch with the others." he said as he got out his cell phone.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Field outside Smallville:

A meteor fell from the sky some hours later. It landed on a field outside Smallville. A young man riding a motorbike and saw it land near him and stopped to take a look.

A large symbol of three circles burned within the crater, and in the center stood a young woman. She was tall and slender, had short dark hair and brown eyes. The woman didn't have any clothes on.

She stood and observed the field around her. It seemed to have little to no interest to her. The woman saw the teen on the motorcycle.

The guy stared dumbstruck at the woman. He got off his bike, took of his helmet and walked towards her. "Wow! Hell, this must be my lucky day." he said in a charming way. The woman studied him as he stopped in front of her.

"You are a human." she stated in a cold, indifferent way. Confused by her words, the guy ignored them and tried to make a move. "Name's Zeke. Yours honey?" he asked as he held out his hand. The woman looked at his hand, and then back at his face.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Zeke raised his eyebrows. "Uh…saying hello? This is the part where you're supposed to shake my hand and tell me your name." he said insistently.

The woman spoke in her unusual voice once more. "I have no name. At least…not a name I would prefer." Zeke was starting to be feel nervous around this strange girl as he took his hand away.

The strange woman then walked around him, studying him. "Oh, now you're checking _me_ out huh?" he said, regaining some of his confidence. "I like your clothes. They are made of…leather, am I correct?"

Zeke chuckled. "A fan of leather, are we? Maybe if you ride with me, I can hook you up with something that'll fit you." The strange woman then smiled. "No…I'll take yours instead."

"Say what?" Zeke asked in disbelief. The woman then placed her hand on Zeke's forehead and Zeke shook violently. He tried to pry her off but he couldn't. Seconds later, Zeke fell on the ground, dead.

A few minutes later, the woman (now dressed in leather) got on the bike. If only she could fly like her father did, then she wouldn't have to bother with junk like this.

'_I was programmed with Kryptonian powers, you weren't. Until you fulfill your destiny, you have to adapt.'_ "I understand, father." she said out loud as she put on her helmet, started the bike and drove off.

"But I won't need any powers for what I plan to do next."

To be continued.


	62. Chapter 61 Assaults

Hi. Everyone's plans get in underway! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 61: Assaults

Metropolis:

Chelsea rode into the huge city on her stolen bike later in the evening. She felt her prey as she drove further within. As she drove, her anger began to grow.

She knew she had a mission to accomplish; a mission her father assigned to her the moment she set foot on this pathetic planet. And until that mission is complete, she would have to avoid the one called "Kal-El".

However, Chelsea had something "personal" to take care of first…and she didn't want to wait too long to do it. "Soon, very soon…" she said to herself.

Chelsea was thinking so much about her plot that she failed to notice that she passed a red light and slammed her bike into a cab. She fell onto the pavement and her bike skidded a little ways away.

Three people came out of the cab, clearly horrified by what just happened. One was a middle aged man who was the driver, and his two passengers. "Oh my god! Is she alright?!" Moira asked as she, Gabe, and the driver looked at Chelsea.

Gabe checked for a pulse. "She's alive. We better take her to the hospital…" Just then, Chelsea started getting up, much to the shock of the small crowd around her. She took off her helmet and widened her eyes in surprise by two of the three people she saw.

"Are you hurt?" "Let us help you up." The ex couple offered. "No, thank you; I am uninjured." she answered in her flat tone. Amazed that the girl can still stand, Gabe tried to examine her.

"Young lady, you just hit your bike right in front of the cab, and you landed hard on the pavement! Let me see your…" but Chelsea shrugged him off. "I _said_ I am not injured!" she shouted. Moira stepped toward her.

"Can you at least let us take you to the hospital? It's not far." Chelsea shook her head. "I have survived worse than that, I can assure you." Perplexed, Gabe asked her once more.

"Are you sure miss?" Gabe asked. Suddenly getting an idea, Chelsea started to look sympathetic. "My apologies for crashing into you; I was not paying attention to where I was going. I want to make up for it…if you let me."

The driver got back in the cab, not caring less about what the girl wanted. Moira and Gabe smiled at her. "That's nice of you, but you don't have to do anything…" "But I insist. There must be something I can do." she asked.

After a moment, Gabe thought of something. "Well, if you really want to…you can help us with a little family matter." "Family matter?" Chelsea asked. "We're currently moving our daughter's things to a new place right here in Metropolis."

Moira, now getting the idea, took over. "We were on our last run there, where our daughter and her new husband are moving in. Would you like to help us?" she asked.

Chelsea looked like she was thinking about it. Then she smiled. "I think I can do that. What is your daughter's name?" she asked. "Her name's Chloe. And her husband is Jimmy." Gabe answered.

Chelsea's eyes flashed with excitement as she heard her mother's name. "Nice name. I cannot _wait_ to meet her. Is she there?" "No; she will meet us there later. She said she some business to take care of." Gabe replied. Before she went to get her bike, Moira asked her a couple of questions.

"By the way, what is your name? And do your parents know where you are?" Chelsea turned back to her and smiled again. "I am Shannon. As for my parents…well, my mom's not around but my dad _always_ knows where he can find me."

"Okay then, just follow us and we can get started." Gabe said as he and Moira got back in the cab. As she rode behind them, Chelsea was glad her plan was working perfectly.

'_You better not take your time with them. You have much more important matters to deal with.'_ "I know father, but this is something I have to do for myself. After it's done, I promise nothing else will hold me back." she answered with a sneer as she rode behind her fooled grandparents.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Oliver's Apartment:

Shortly before sunset, all of Clark's allies met up once again in the apartment. Once they were all there, Clark introduced Kara to the heroes she hadn't met. She was glad to see Green Lantern again, and she thanked Batman for rescuing her boyfriend Brian.

"He was worth the trouble." Batman replied. After everyone had settled down, Clark got their attention.

"Listen up guys! I called you all here because we have located Lucas' and Darkseid's bases of operations." Now they stood alert. "That's great. Where are those two scumbags hiding out?" Jaime asked.

"According to Oliver and Victor, Lucas is hiding on the Hawaiian island of Niihau. He's likely using the Navy station there to house and prepare his army of White Martians." "And Darkseid?" Wonder Woman asked.

"We believe he is based in Alcatraz. For some strange reason, the waters around that island have become unable to travel by boat. Probably a way to keep people from coming. Also, high winds prevent helicopters and planes from getting near it."

"No doubt he wanted to make sure no one can disturb his plans." Barry said. Clark nodded. "As we know, he plans to have Lucas release the White Martians on the UN, and then use his machine to unlock the Anti-Life Equation tomorrow, but if we attack now, we can stop all that from happening."

Everyone agreed. "So basically: We know who our enemies are, we know what they are planning, and now we know where to find them." Chloe said. "Then all that's left to do is kick down their front doors and kick some serious ass." Green Lantern said cockily.

Several of them chuckled. "Couldn't have put it better myself." Oliver said with a smirk. "What is your plan of attack?" J'onn asked curiously. Clark looked at everyone.

"We will split into two teams and attack both fronts simultaneously. The team going to Niihau will infiltrate it to find and eliminate the White Martians before they are awakened, or at least prevent them from leaving the island." Clark then looked over at J'onn.

"J'onn will lead that team, since he knows more about the White Martians than we do." The Martian nodded. "Thanks for putting me in charge of that operation Kal-El." Clark continued. "The team going to Alcatraz will find and destroy Darkseid's machine, and if possible retrieve the three artifacts he's collected."

"So who will be on each team?" AC asked. "We talked that over, and we've made our choices." Clark looked around. "J'onn's team will consist of himself, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Cyborg, Power Girl, and Blue Beetle. Everyone else is with me for the Alcatraz mission."

Kara seemed a little surprised by the selection. "What? How come I'm not with you?" "Because I thought it would be a good idea if each team had a Kryptonian on it." "I guess that makes sense." she replied.

Clark had another reason for not making Kara a member of his team; he didn't want her to confront Darkseid (if he was there). He figured taking out the White Martians would be a somewhat safer task for her. If Darkseid was as ruthless as he remembered, he didn't want his cousin anywhere near him.

Chloe then took her turn to speak. "While we were waiting for our "get together", I did some preparing of my own." She then laid two data pads on the table. "Using a Queen Industries satellite, I found two sources of massive energy in each location. These data pads contain directions to those sources."

Clark and J'onn each took one. "Thanks Chloe." Clark said in gratitude. Chloe smiled. "Hey, I've gotta pull my weight somehow, right?" Clark then turned back to the others.

"This is it; as of right now, we are fighting for Earth's very survival. We are the only ones who can protect it. There is no turning back. Are you all ready for this?"

Every hero and heroine in the room shouted that they were. "Just say the word, and we can get started." Dinah said. Proud, Clark put on his shades, and everyone else put on their own facial wear. "Good. We have our assignments…now let's go!"

With that, the teams filed out of the room. Clark stayed behind for a moment. "Chloe, I want you to stay with Jimmy and your parents at your new home. You should be safe there. When this is all over, you get the call." he instructed.

Chloe nodded. "I'll be waiting. And…" she hesitated. "What is it?" Clark asked. His blonde companion looked worried. "And if Chelsea makes her return to my life while you're gone, I'll definitely let you know." Clark nodded.

"Just stay safe." he said as he walked out with his team. Chloe sighed. "Good luck."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

New Apartment Building, Metropolis:

Chloe had just arrived at her new place. She couldn't believe how magnificent it was. With some financial assistance, Jimmy bought the abandoned apartment in the tallest building in the city and gave it to her as a surprise wedding present.

He first showed it to her the day after their honeymoon, and it took her breath away. She loved the view of the city from up there, and commented that she could see everything. Jimmy was happy that Chloe approved of their new home.

When she arrived, she found her parents and Jimmy moving things around. And to her surprise, she found a girl with them that she didn't recognize. Jimmy was the first to greet his wife. "Hey Chloe, how's it looking?" he asked, referring to the apartment.

"It looks great! Thanks again for getting this place." she said after she gave her husband a kiss. Gabe and Moira came and hugged Chloe. "You got your "business" taken care of?" her father asked. "Oh definitely." Chloe answered.

Chloe then turned to the unknown girl. "So who's our guest?" Chelsea then walked up with a pleasant smile. "I'm Shannon. You must be Chloe, right?" "Last time I checked." she replied.

Chloe thought she imagined it, but she could've sworn she felt a bad vibe from her. "Is something wrong?" Chelsea asked. Chloe brushed it off. "Oh it's nothing. Um, how did you come to be here?"

Chelsea then told her about the accident with her bike and the cab, and volunteered to make up for it by helping Chloe get situated in her new home. "Well, that's awfully nice of you." Chloe said.

"I was just helping your mother put up some of your books when you walked in." Chelsea said. "Would it be alright if I used the little girl's room?" "It's right over there." Jimmy said as he pointed his thumb over shoulder.

"Thanks. I won't be long." Chelsea then walked into the bathroom. She then leaned on the sink and stared into the mirror. In it, she also saw the image of Brainiac.

'_So what do you think of your "mother"?'_ Chelsea made sure to keep her voice down so that no one could hear her. "The only thing I have to really say about her…is that she will look better as a corpse."

'_I couldn't agree more. How do you plan to do it?' _Chelsea gave an evil smile and her eyes flashed with her father's symbol. "Nice and bloody."

To be continued.


	63. Chapter 62 Army

Time to really get the ball rolling! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 62: Army

New Apartment, Metropolis:

While they were continuing moving things around, Chelsea offered to cook a fancy dinner for everyone later (which surprised them). "You can cook?" Jimmy asked. The girl shrugged. "It's not something I usually do, but I am quite capable of it."

"Shannon, you've already done enough for us by helping out here. You don't have to…" But Chelsea interrupted Chloe. "Please." she said with a pleading look. Chloe thought it over, and decided that it couldn't hurt. And besides, something about Shannon made Chloe want to get to know her better.

"Sure, I see why not. What about you guys?" Jimmy and Chloe's parents agreed. Chelsea smiled. "Thank you." _'Fools.'_ she thought as she placed a vase on a shelf.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The Sky:

Steel and his team flew toward the island of Alcatraz, where they will battle Darkseid for the fate of Earth. Aquaman was swimming in pace with them. On the way, Steel hoped that J'onn, Green Arrow, and the others will succeed in their mission too.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Niihau, Hawaii:

Martian Manhunter, Power Girl, and Blue Beetle flew fast for their destination. Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Cyborg were each carried by the team members that "can" fly.

"Can you see it yet?" Green Arrow shouted at his Martian ally, who was carrying him. "Yes; it's just ahead! Everyone, land on the outskirts of the Navy base!" he ordered. At once, the whole team descended towards their target.

The island itself was small, but had plenty of trees to hide in. Martian Manhunter and the others scouted around the Navy base, studying it's security and entry points.

"The place definitely has plenty of cameras." Black Canary pointed out. "And both the front and back doors are guarded by two thugs each." Cyborg reported. "So, do we take door 1, or door 2?" Green Arrow joked.

"We will enter through the rear entrance; leave it to me. Stand by." Martian Manhunter said as he turned invisible. Thanks to this, plus his "intangible" power, he could walk right through the security fence and not be spotted by the cameras.

"_Blue Beetle, can you make sure the cameras do not spot the rest of the team?"_ he asked telepathically as he moved. "Not a problem." Blue Beetle said with confidence as he commanded his suit to shut down all cameras in the facility.

"Done! We got 30 seconds before they're back online!" he said to the others. "Nice work, Blue Beetle." Power Girl commented. Martian Manhunter made his move.

He stood behind the two guards and smashed their heads together, and they both fell unconscious. Martian Manhunter became visible once more as he motioned for the team to hurry to the door.

They didn't take long. Picking up one of the guard's keys, Green Arrow opened the door and they all ran inside. A few moments later, the cameras came back on.

"That was fun." Cyborg said as they found themselves in a long hallway. "We need to stay alert." Green Arrow said. After agreeing, Martian Manhunter took out the data pad Chloe gave him and activated it.

"According to this, the energy source "Watchtower" has located is down this hall, and then to a staircase on the far right." The Martian moved ahead, with his team close behind him and kept an eye out for more guards.

As they came to the end of the hall, Martian Manhunter gave a hand signal to halt the team. There were three guards by the entrance to the staircase. He turned to Power Girl and motioned her to take them.

She didn't hesitate as she super sped and knocked out the guards within seconds. "All clear." she said triumphantly. With that, the team moved through the staircase.

Elsewhere, Lucas was gazing over at the monitors of each of the White Martians' vital signs. His vast army was complete and they were all ready for the big day. "Just hours away now." he said to himself.

Although the majority of the plan was going well, he still can't help but feel bitter about his recent setbacks.

Thanks to Clark, "Project Eve" was dead in the water. And also because of him, Green Arrow and his buddies were freed and the Key was out of commission. And his loss of Cheetah. Not to mention Jarvis' bizarre death. Yep, he definitely hated plans falling apart.

But he was relieved that Darkseid had let him, Lucas, live this long. He also took comfort in despite losing the small battles, he and his master would ultimately win the war.

He knew that even if Clark and his friends knew what he was planning, they could not stop any of it because they had no idea where to find either him or his master.

Back with the team, they continued down the staircase. "How far down does this go?" Blue Beetle asked. "Judging from the length of these stairs, I'd say we have a few floors to go through." Green Arrow answered.

"And when we bump into Lucas, I'm so gonna beat the crap out of him for having us captured." he said angrily. "We can concur." Black Canary and Cyborg said in agreement.

"Can't we just _float_ down there?" Power Girl said impatiently. "We need to be cautious and silent. And besides", Martian Manhunter said as he stopped at a door, "we have to go through this door."

He phased his head through (invisible of course), and saw three more hallways going off in different directions. And there were patrols of four going back and forth in each one. He then probed their minds for any useful information. After pulling his head back in, the Martian looked at the data pad again.

"There are three hallways on the other side, groups of 4 guards patrolling each. The data pad indicates that we need to travel through the middle hallway." he said. "So when the time is right, we make our move, right?" Blue Beetle asked.

"Somehow, I doubt it will be that simple." Green Arrow said. Martian Manhunter nodded. "He is right. I probed the minds of several of the guards. Apparently, the end of the middle hallway has a door that can only be opened by three triangular keys."

"And a few of the guards have those keys?" Power Girl asked. "Precisely." Martian Manhunter said. "Can't I just hack into it?" Cyborg suggested. "One of the guards asked another that very question should an intruder appear. Any hacking attempt would immediately set off alarms in the whole facility."

Cyborg whistled softly. "I'm sure damn glad you're here." he said appreciatively. "So what's the plan?" Black Canary asked. "You, Green Arrow, and Cyborg will take down each patrol and get a key. Once you all give confirmation, we will meet at the door in the middle hallway." Martian Manhunter instructed.

The three smirked. "Now that's what I'm talking about." Green Arrow said excitedly. Once he made sure no one was watching, the three of them headed down their respective hallways.

The 4 guards in the middle hallway were watching every angle of the area. Before any of them knew it, an arrow shot on a wall ahead of them and let off a strong gas. In seconds they were on the floor.

Green Arrow sprinted to them, feeling satisfied. "Like taking candy from a baby." he said as he searched them until he found one of the keys.

Black Canary's approach wasn't quite as stealthy. She kicked the rear guard behind the knees and he fell in pain, right before she punched his lights out. The other three charged at her, but she jumped over them.

After Black Canary landed, she spun around and kicked another guard in the head, then she blocked the third guard's punch and sent him a head butt. The last guard got out a knife, but Black Canary threw one of her own and it knocked it away.

She then punched the guard in the stomach and flipped him over, and punched him out. She knelt before him and found the key on him. "Sweet dreams, big boy."

Cyborg simply ran toward his targets and used his super strength to smash them into the walls; they never saw it coming. The impacts knocked them all unconscious. "Easy as pie." he said as he searched the guards until he found his key.

Back at the staircase, Martian Manhunter, Power Girl, and Blue Beetle waited for confirmation from the others. One by one, they were told they had gotten their respective keys.

"Good work. Head for the rendezvous point." Martian Manhunter said as he and his allies opened the door and headed down the middle hallway. Soon, the whole team met up again at the special door.

"If Lucas had this kind of door installed, we must be getting close." Blue Beetle commented. The door was 7fth high colored pale white. The slots for the three keys were located in the center, and each one was color coded red, white, and black.

"Shall we?" Green Arrow asked as he, Black Canary, and Cyborg got out their keys. They fit the keys into their appropriate slots and instantly, a green light came on from the top of the door as it opened.

"We are almost there." Martian Manhunter said as he moved down another lengthy hall. "The energy source is getting closer." So far, no more guards have appeared to stop them.

After another minute or two, they came to yet another door. Martian Manhunter looked back down at his data pad. "The energy source is right behind this door." The others stood ready for what lay on the other side.

"I see no special locks on this one." Power Girl said. "And I can't see through the other side; the door must be lead shielded." Black Canary tried to open the door, but discovered that it was locked.

"Would you like the honor?" Martian Manhunter asked Power Girl. She understood what she meant as she nodded with a smile. "Stand back." They all stood behind her as she grabbed the door and ripped if off it's hinges.

"Nice." Blue Beetle said. "Thanks." With that, Martian Manhunter and the team entered the room. What they saw left them terrified. "Oh my god." Green Arrow whispered breathlessly.

Elsewhere, Lucas just got himself some coffee when he saw a message on his monitor. He scurried back to his desk and saw the words _"Security Breach"_ flashing in red letters.

"What the hell?" he asked himself as he pulled up the location in which the breach took place. Lucas was not happy at all; the breach was in the White Martian breeding chamber.

He quickly switched on a camera in the chamber and saw, to his horror, a group of costumed intruders inside it. He recognized them right away, especially the one in green and black leather.

'_It can't be! How the hell did Green Arrow and his bunch of freaks find this place?! This is impossible!!'_ Lucas was filled with both immense shock and incredible anger. He knew that if they destroy the White Martians, his part in the plan would be ruined. And he'll have to face the wrath of Darkseid.

"No! I have enough screw ups on my plate already! I'm not about to lose this! No way in hell!!" he shouted as he typed in a number and punched a big button by his computer monitor. At once, the screen read the message: _"Activating Assets"_.

Back in the chamber, the team stared in growing horror. Everywhere they looked, there was a pod with a big, white ugly creature inside it. There were close to one thousand White Martians in that vast chamber, waiting to be awakened.

"So _these_ are White Martians." Power Girl said as she took a close look at one. They basically looked like white, armored lizards. She was sure that fighting just one of them would be difficult, and maybe impossible to fight off a whole armada of them.

Martian Manhunter felt chills down his back. He never imagined he'd come face to face with this horrible breed again. He returned to his data pad. "The energy source should right above us." he said loudly.

The team looked up and saw a large red light covered in an energy field. It seemed to be pulsing energy on repetitive pattern, like a heart beat. "What is it?" Black Canary asked. "It must be what Lucas is using to maintain his hold over the White Martians."

"So if we destroy that, then he'd lose control of them?" Cyborg asked. Martian Manhunter nodded. "Yes, but our mission is to destroy the White Martians before they awaken."

"And how do we do that? There are so many." Blue Beetle asked. "We need to…" but before he could explain, they heard Power Girl scream. "What is it?!" Green Arrow shouted.

Power Girl backed away. "It's eyes…they've opened!" Staring at the pod she was looking at, the team saw the creature inside was awake…and was struggling to get out. It roared loudly as it broke free of it's container

Soon, several more White Martians were awakened and approached the team. They behaved like savage animals, waiting for the right moment to attack it's prey. As they were being surrounded, they all thought the same thing:

'_We're in trouble.'_

To be continued.


	64. Chapter 63 Payback

Hi. Martian Manhunter and his team vs. the White Martians! Who will win?! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 63: Payback

Secret Base in Niihau, Hawaii:

Martian Manhunter and the others stood face to face with about five or six White Martians, who looked thirsty for blood. "What's the deal?! I thought these freaks weren't supposed to wake up until later?!" Blue Beetle asked fearfully.

"Lucas must've finally noticed us." Green Arrow replied angrily. They all stood, back to back, facing their enemy. The Martians just stood and stared at them, though they snarled nastily as they saw J'onn.

"Why aren't they attacking us?" Dinah asked. "They are expecting us to make the first move; no doubt Lucas wants to scare us into attacking first." "So, what were you going to say about how to get rid of all these "Alien" movie rejects?" Cyborg asked.

"Fortunately, not only is there a Martian code that awakens them from their hibernation, but there is also one implanted just in case they are still a threat if rehabilitation was unsuccessful. It can kill them." "Perfect, so can you telepathically trigger that code in these guys?" Green Arrow asked.

"I should, but I need to fully concentrate and not be disturbed. And remember, there are around 1000 in this chamber; it will take a little time to finish the job." "How much time do you need?" Power Girl asked.

"It will take a little time." "Great, all we have to do is just stand still and hope they don't bite our heads off." Green Arrow amused. "I'm afraid not; Lucas won't hold them back for long. You all must protect me until my task is complete."

"We got your back green man." Cyborg said as he readied his sonic disrupter. The team formed a circle around Martian Manhunter as he sat cross legged and closed his eyes.

Back in the control room, Lucas saw what they were planning. "Kill my army before they awaken? I don't think so!" He then ordered the already awake White Martians to attack…to kill them all.

A moment later, the Martians roared as they began their attack. As soon as they leapt into action, the other heroes defended Martian Manhunter. Cyborg repelled a Martian with his disrupter, while Black Canary used her "Canary Cry" to force back another one.

Power Girl and Blue Beetle, the only other powerhouses on the team, blasted three more with their heat vision and energy blast attacks. Green Arrow aimed and shot an arrow right into the creature's mouth, and it exploded.

"Good thing I packed the kind that gives some extra kick". he said with satisfaction. Unfortunately, as the smoke cleared, the White Martian appeared unscathed and roared in irritation. "Oh crap." he said as he dodged out of the way before the beast could pounce on him.

Cyborg and Black Canary attacked their respective opponents again, but they turned invisible and their attacks missed. "Damn!" Black Canary shouted as they searched frantically for them.

They instantly appeared behind them and grabbed them. After some squeezing, they threw them hard into a wall. The blow dizzied them, but they rolled away in time before they struck again. "These things are tough!" Cyborg yelled as he fired another blast at them.

Blue Beetle and Power Girl were fighting their opponents in the air. Blue Beetle used his energy blades to block and attack his Martian. He was surprised how strong the monster was; he was barely able to hold his own.

He managed to slice through the creature's chest, but that only pissed it off. It then attacked much more vigorously and caught Blue Beetle's arm and bit him in the shoulder. Though the suit protected him, he could still feel pain as the White Martian began to pierce it.

The young hero activated his protective bubble and it was successful in forcing the creature to release him. Blue Beetle fought back with a double energy blast that sent the Martian flying the opposite direction. "I'll definitely have nightmares after this." he said as he chased after the beast.

Power Girl was fighting an even tougher fight against two Martians at once. She flipped over of the beast's claws and kicked it in the back of the head, but the second slapped her to the ground by the swing of it's tail.

She managed to land on her feet in time, but the impact stunned her. She looked up and, before the White Martians could get their claws on her, used her super breath to freeze them. They then dropped like rocks and landed with loud crashes.

Power Girl barely managed to wipe her brow before the monsters broke free of the ice. "Oh come on!" she shouted in frustration as the handicapped battle resumed.

Green Arrow was forcing his White Martian at bay by forcing his crossbow in the creature's mouth. It had him pinned to the wall and couldn't find a way out. The emerald archer grinded his teeth as he struggled to stay alive.

Just as the Martian was close enough to bite him, a certain cry knocked the alien away. Breathing hard, Green Arrow saw that it was Black Canary. "You alright?" she asked as straightened him out. He smiled to her.

"What do you think?" Suddenly, he pulled her in for a kiss. It was brief, but passionate. When they broke, Black Canary was very surprised. "I didn't know you were _that_ grateful." she said with a smirk. "Well, I figured if by some chance I wasn't getting out of this alive, I wasn't going to let the opportunity slip by." Smiling at each other, the two resumed their battles

Despite the difficulty in fighting such strong opponents, the team was being successful in keeping them away from Martin Manhunter while he played his part. He would have no problem activating the codeword that would kill all the White Martians in the chamber simultaneously.

The problem was the sheer numbers. To effectively complete the mission, he would have to kill about 15 Martians at a time. Thankfully, he can do it a fast rate. According to his calculations, if he can kill that many White Martians at a time without interruption, he could get the job done within minutes.

Once he got connected with the first 15 still in the pods, he instantly triggered the Martian codeword to kill them: _'K'll'._ At once, those slumbering White Martians cringed a bit and then mentally flat lined. Pleased, he proceeded with the next 15.

In the control room, Lucas looked at the monitor on his left and was pissed. 15 of his 1000 precious White Martians had instantly died.

"This is not working! I need that meddlesome alien dead now!!" He then ordered 10 more Martians to awaken. _'Try to win this one now!'_

In the chamber, Power Girl and Blue Beetle successfully dispatched their Martians; Power Girl by burning them with her heat vision (after remembering that Martians were weak against fire), and Blue Beetle using his energy sword to slice through the beast's head.

They then assisted the others with their adversaries. However, things have gotten really bad a few minutes later when they heard fresh roars from the pods. "Dammit! Lucas is not giving us a break!" Green Arrow shouted as they scattered while still trying to protect Martian Manhunter.

The team was already tired out from the first wave; they knew they wouldn't last very long against the second. "Now what?" Cyborg asked as he barely got clawed by a freshly awakened White Martian.

"We have to stop Lucas from waking up any more of these monsters! I'm going after him, you guys continue to protect J'onn!" Green Arrow shouted as he dashed out of the room. "Hurry!" Power Girl yelled as she grappled with another White Martian.

Green Arrow hurried down the hall in which he and the others came and returned to the where the three separate hallways were. He figured on of the other two had to lead to the control room where Lucas was.

He then remembered studying some layouts of the base before the team got together. Green Arrow took the left hall and found a staircase. Thankfully, he encountered no guards on the way.

Green Arrow turned right and made a left before he found steel plated door near the end of the hall. He approached the door and pressed his ear against it to hear any sounds. Sure enough, he heard a familiar voice ranting.

"Where the hell did that punk archer go? Did he just chicken out? Well I wouldn't blame him; the White Martians can be pretty damn…" "Scary?" Green Arrow finished as he slipped in silently. Lucas spun around in shock.

"You've got to be freaking kidding me!" he shouted as he stood up. Green Arrow smirked as he walked in with his crossbow in hand. "How long has it been? A week, a month? Far too long to wait to kick your ass anyway."

Lucas sneered. "You won't give me the boot this time. Soon, the White Martians will annihilate your friends…after I awaken all the others." He reached for the button to wake the remaining White Martians when Green Arrow fired an electric dart at the computer tower beside Lucas.

The dart shorted out the system and the monitors became black. Lucas was as mad as hell. He turned to Green Arrow with pure hate. "That's it; no more from you! I'm killing you myself!" he shouted as he launched himself at his enemy.

Green Arrow blocked Lucas' punch and delivered his own, right in the jaw. Lucas staggered but blocked the next blow and, pulling Green Arrow in closer, gave him a good head butt.

This caught the hero off guard long enough for Lucas to punch him in the stomach and swing him onto the floor. Lucas pounced on top of him and punched him again. The blow knocked off Green Arrow's shades. Lucas was shocked by the face he saw.

"What the…_Oliver Queen?!_ You're the Green Arrow?!" Oliver retaliated with a head butt of his own and rolled on top of Lucas. "Surprise, surprise." he said before he delivered another punch.

Back in the chamber, the team was getting their butts whooped by the fresh and larger group of Martians. Black Canary and Cyborg were pinned to the ground and struggled to keep the creatures from eating off their heads. Power Girl and Blue Beetle were not having better luck.

From his mind, Martian Manhunter can feel that Lucas was busy with Green Arrow. And he could also sense his allies losing badly; he had to hurry. _'Oliver, did you disable the systems that connect to the White Martian's minds?' _

'_It's all shorted out. You won't have to worry about anymore reinforcements. Now if you'll excuse me, Lucas needs some serious punishment.' _Martian Manhunter smirked as he focused his attention on the White Martians beating his teammates.

As each White Martian was about to kill their beaten victims, they all made a horrible screech while clutching their heads. A moment later, they fell dead. The whole team breathed easier as they got back up.

"Thanks J'onn." Power Girl said. "It's not over yet; the remaining White Martians need to be neutralized." The Green Martian said as he resumed his task.

While J'onn was eliminating his long time enemies, Oliver and Lucas continued their brawl. With a kick, Oliver got Lucas off him and rolled over to his crossbow. Lucas barely managed to get back on his feet when he was staring at the weapon at point blank range.

"Not quick enough." Oliver said smoothly. Lucas stood still, not taking his eyes off his long time adversary. "Do you have any idea how pissed off I am?" "Probably not quite as much as Darkseid will once he hears your part of the operation is down the toilet."

Lucas shuddered with fear, and Oliver can see it in his eyes. "What possessed you to work for a bastard like him in the first place? How long have you been in cahoots with him?" he asked seriously.

"Since over a year ago, when he came to me when I was on my lonesome. He saw potential in me and offered me immortality, in exchange for helping him take over Earth." Oliver was convinced Lucas sounded like a real crackpot.

"What a load of crap. Do you honestly believe eternal life is more important than your own people? Are you that much of a sleaze ball?" Lucas spat. "Think what you want Oliver, this doesn't change anything. In the end, Darkseid is still going to prevail!"

Before Oliver could respond, he got a call from Martian Manhunter. _'Oliver, I'm finished. All the White Martians are dead. Everyone else is alright. Yourself?' _

'_Just dandy. Guess it's mission accomplished, huh?' 'There is still the chamber itself. It has to be destroyed. Blue Beetle and Power Girl will take care of it and then we'll all meet outside.' 'I'll be right with ya.'_

"Hey! What's with the spacing out?" Lucas said annoyingly. Oliver shrugged. "Just a little chat with my Martian buddy; your army is obsolete. It's over." Lucas went wide eyed and his lips trembled.

"So, what now? Are you going to kill me?" Oliver moved his crossbow closer to Lucas' face. He studied his face and contemplated that decision. He smirked.

"You know, a while agoI would have answered your question with shooting an arrow through your skull. But I know better than that. That's why I'm a hero…and why you're the one on your knees." He then got up, picked up his shades, and proceeded to the door.

Suddenly, Lucas seem to lose all sanity. "Please, stop! Kill me now! It won't be long before Darkseid learns of my failure! I'd rather die now than suffer what he'll do to me!" Oliver turned back to Lucas, looking disgusted.

"Man, it's over. You're no longer my problem." Oliver thenwalked out of the control room. Lucas just kneeled there, defeated and frightened. He couldn't believe it all came down to this, with his humiliation. And worse, it was at the hands of family rival.

10 minutes later (it felt like an hour to Lucas), a bright light flashed in the room. And it's place was Lucas' worst fear: Darkseid himself. He did not look happy at all. He looked down at Lucas with nothing but disappointment and anger.

"My sensors have just lost the signal from your breeding chamber. You failed me for the last time, Lucas Luthor. The White Martian army is no more, and so is your usefulness." he said coldly. Lucas grabbed Darkseid's legs. "Please master, I beg you! Give me one more chance!" Darkseid kicked himself free.

"You had your chance, you pathetic worm! As for your punishment…" "Don't kill me! There must be way I can…" but Darkseid had cut him off. He continued like there was no interruption.

"Your punishment is a lifetime as one of my "Lowlies" on Apokolips. You will work nonstop with the others until the day you die." Lucas turned as pale as possible after hearing this. "No! Please…!"

Without another word, Darkseid shot red beams from his eyes and zapped Lucas with them. There was a brief scream, and then he was gone. Darkseid then held up his box.

'_I do not know where the Mother Box has been, but it was fortunate that I had an instant return safety measure installed incase it has been absent for an unusual amount of time.'_ Now with that loose end tied up, Darkseid used the Mother Box to disappear again. Once he returned, he could take care of his own problem…

Meanwhile, Green Arrow met up with J'onn and the others outside the base. It was well into the night when they rendezvoused. "About time. What did you do with Lucas?" Black Canary asked. Green Arrow shrugged.

"I left him in his misery. I have a feeling he's gotten what's coming to him." The others nodded grimly. Deep inside, the whole team was relived: Lucas was finally out of their hair and the White Martians were no more.

"I'd say that was job well done, wouldn't you say guys?" Cyborg commented. "It's not over yet; Clark and the others still have their mission. And then there's still Chelsea." Power Girl said. They all agreed.

"Well, let's head back to Metropolis. We're pretty much worn out, aren't we?" Black Canary said. Everyone but Green Arrow and J'onn had their outfits ripped up by their fights with the White Martians.

Power Girl had her shades smashed and her upper outfit was ripped at the sleeves. Black Canary and Cyborg had similar damages to their costumes. After J'onn, Power Girl, and Blue Beetle picked everyone else up and flew back to Metropolis, they all hoped the Clark's team will succeed as well…especially Power Girl.

'_Clark, you better not die to that tyrant or I'm going to kill you.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alcatraz Island:

While J'onn's team was at Niihau, Steel and his team had just arrived at Darkseid's possible base of operations. Before they met up with Aquaman on a obscure beach, Steel thought he heard someone screaming and hesitated. He looked disturbed.

"Steel, what is wrong?" Wonder Woman asked as she noticed him still floating. Steel shook his head. "It's nothing. Must've been the wind. Let's get moving." He then floated down without another word.

Wonder Woman felt something was bothering him greatly, but he chose to keep it to himself. _'Whatever it is, it seemed to unnerve him. What could it have been?'_ she thought as she followed the others to the island.

To be continued.


	65. Chapter 64 Spite

Hey. I hope most of you will not hate me after reading this chapter. Brace yourselves.

The Future of Justice:

Chapter 64: Spite

Chloe's Apartment, Metropolis:

After about 15 minutes, the apartment was finally finished. Chloe and her family looked with pride. "Now it does look like home." she commented as she looked at her husband. "Sure does."

"You sure know how to pick a place to live." Gabe commented. Moira agreed and turned to Chelsea, who was the only one to not say anything about the apartment. "Thank you for helping us Shannon." she said to her. Chelsea shrugged.

"It was my pleasure." she said pleasantly. But in reality, she wanted nothing to do with it, or the family that occupied it. "Shannon, you said you wanted to make dinner for us. What exactly do you have in mind?" Chloe asked.

"I was thinking…something to die for." she said with a smirk. "Like what?" Jimmy asked. Chelsea shook her head. "I'm not saying another word, not until it's time to eat." she said firmly, which surprised everyone.

"Hey, no need to be snappy with us." Chloe said. Chelsea didn't reply for a brief moment. "Sorry. I just don't like to spoil surprises; I got that from my dad." They all understood. "So what will you need for this "special" meal of yours?" Gabe asked.

Chelsea then found some paper and a pen, and began writing. A minute later, she handed the sheet to Jimmy. "Everything we need is on this list. You should find all this in store somewhere around here." she said.

"Cool, let's go." Jimmy said. But Chelsea quickly objected. "Actually, I want to stay with Chloe…if that's alright." The group looked puzzled. "Why can't we all go?" Moira asked.

"It would be too much of a hassle for us all to go. Chloe should stay and admire her new home. And I want to keep her company." she insisted. "But…" but Chelsea interrupted. "Trust me, I have all the details of each ingredient on that list. If you can't find all of those, I have written back ups." she said.

Jimmy was about to say something else, when Chloe interjected. "Guys, it's okay. Go on ahead; something tells me I should get to know our guest here." "You sure, Chloe?" Jimmy asked. His lovely wife smiled.

"Don't worry; I'll be right here when you all get back." Chloe then gave Jimmy a quick kiss. Jimmy felt reassured. "Well, okay then." "We won't be gone long, honey." Gabe said as he, Moira, and Jimmy walked out.

Chloe then turned to Chelsea. "It was nice of you to stay Shannon." she said with a smile. Chelsea looked out the window, viewing all of Metropolis below. "I wanted to talk to you." "About what?" she asked curiously.

Chelsea then turned to her mother. "Have you ever wanted children?" Chloe was dumbfounded. "Uh, that was kind of random. But…" she paused. She thought about the daughter that got taken from her, not knowing that child was standing next to her. She decided not to tell Shannon about her.

"I might want to have kids in the future. It might take me and Jimmy a few tries, but I'm sure that one day we will have kids of our own." Chelsea narrowed her eyes a bit. "What would you do if say…one of your kids wasn't "perfect"?"

Chloe looked surprised. "You mean, if I had a baby that had some sort of deformity, or disability?" "Something like that." Chelsea said. Chloe thought of the best answer she could give her.

"It wouldn't be easy, but…" "You would throw that baby away like a piece of garbage?" Chelsea answered coldly. Chloe looked appalled by her response. "Absolutely not! Why would you think I'd say that?" "Because that's what happened to me."

Chloe stood in stunned silence as she stared at Chelsea. "What?" Chloe whispered. Chelsea showed anger as she answered.

"My mother got rid of me when I was born. I was not the "perfect" child she wanted and had me disposed of without a second thought! She never showed any love or compassion for me, none whatsoever!" she shouted.

Chloe listened intensely as Chelsea continued. "But I had a savior; my father. He found me at the doorsteps of an orphanage and took me in. He told me everything and that my mother wanted nothing to do with me. I'll never forgive her for abandoning me." she said spitefully.

Chelsea felt her mother's hand on her shoulder. "Oh god, I'm so sorry." Chelsea immediately shoved her hand off. "Don't apologize. There is nothing you can do about it." she snapped and walked towards the kitchen counter.

"I know what it was like to not have a mother for the majority of your life…" but Chelsea interrupted. "At least _your_ mother loves you! But mine? Not so much!" She leaned over the counter, not looking at Chloe.

Chloe walked slowly to her. "Shannon, why are you telling me this?" she asked as she stopped right behind her. Chelsea slipped her hand into her jacket pocket and grabbed the handle of a knife, slowly pulling it out.

"I wanted you to know how I felt…before you die!" she then slashed Chloe across her cheek and kicked her to the floor. Chloe groaned in pain as she held her bleeding face. She was horrified by Chelsea's actions.

"What are you _doing_?!" she shouted as she tried to get up, but Chelsea punched her back down. "Getting my revenge." Chloe, filled with shock and confusion, only shook her head. "Revenge? What have I done to you?!" Chelsea snarled.

"Didn't I tell you that just now…_mother_?" she answered mockingly. Chloe widened her eyes in horror as she realizes the truth. "_Chelsea_?" she asked in pure shock. Her enraged daughter grabbed Chloe by the throat and chocked her.

"Yes, it is your _darling_ daughter…who you dumped out of your life!" Chloe struggled to get free, but Chelsea's grip was surprisingly strong. "Chelsea…I didn't abandon you!" she said, barely able to breath. Chelsea banged her mother's head on the floor.

"Don't lie to me! My father taught me that _all_ humans are primitive, untrustworthy animals! You are no different!" "That's not…true." Chloe coughed as she began losing oxygen. "You were…stolen from me…"

"No! I was saved from you! Saved from the fate you condemned me to!" Chelsea yelled as she held her knife over her mother's throat. "The past always comes back to haunt you. Only…_your_ past has come back to kill you!"

But before she could cut Chloe's neck, somebody kicked Chelsea off of Chloe. Chloe was taking in more air as she heard a new voice. "Now on my watch, bitch." Lois said as she looked over Chloe. "You okay, cus?" she asked.

"Besides being depraved of air and my face being cut open, I'm fine." Chloe answered. She then looked over at Chelsea, who was getting back up. "Lois, that's…" "Chelsea, I know. I heard her yapping about killing you when I walked in."

Chelsea sneered at Lois. "Stay out of my way! This is between her and me!" Lois smirked as she stood in front of her cousin. "This is a family squabble, so that counts me too." she said coolly.

"Lois, don't hurt her." Chloe begged, but Lois snapped back. "Hello, she tried to carve you like a turkey! She may be your kid, but that doesn't mean I'm going to play nice with her! She needs some serious tough love."

Lois then turned just in time to catch Chelsea as she tried to stab Lois in the back. "I've had the pleasure of being stabbed once, and I'm not about to go through that again!" she replied as she shoved Chelsea to the floor again.

"If you insist on interfering, then I'll kill you as well." Chelsea responded emotionlessly as she tackled Lois and both fell down. Chloe watched with disbelief as her cousin and daughter fought to the death.

Lois kicked Chelsea off of her and jumped back on her feet. She then punched Chelsea in the face a few times. But to Lois' surprise, Chelsea caught her fist and threw on her own at Lois.

Chelsea then kicked in the chin, causing Lois to hit the table. Chelsea moved in for the kill, but Lois moved away in time as the knife hit the table instead. Lois punched Chelsea in the gut twice and threw her over her shoulder.

But Lois fell as Chelsea swept one of her legs at Lois, making her fall. Lois rolled away from the knife as it came down again and managed to land a uppercut. Chelsea spun and fell facedown on the floor. She didn't move.

"Had enough? Ready to be a good little girl and talk things over?" Lois said, out of breath and cocky. Chelsea grabbed her knife in front of her, which Chloe happened to have spotted.

It then happened in an instant. In fluid motion, Chelsea threw the knife at Lois. But right before it could bury itself into her flesh, Chloe jumped in and pushed Lois out of the way…and received the blow herself.

"CHLOE!!!" Lois shouted as Chloe fell to her knees, staring at the blade embedded in her body. Chelsea was momentarily stunned that her mother threw herself in to save her cousin.

But then she got over it and felt satisfaction that she mortally wounded the woman that did her wrong…even if things didn't happen the way she planned. She silently slipped away while Lois cradled her cousin.

Lois ran to catch her cousin as she fell backwards, who started coughing up blood. She was horrified this happened. "Chloe, you shouldn't have done that!" Chloe smiled. "You would've…done the same for me." she said. Lois shook her head, afraid of losing her.

"Look, just…just hang in there. I'll call 911 a-and everything will be fine." Chloe coughed up a little more blood. "Lois…" Lois held her up closer. "Yeah cus?" she asked softly. Chloe was trying to tell Lois something.

"Tell Clark…" she paused. "Tell Clark what?" Lois asked frantically. "Tell Clark…to read…"Tales of the Weird & Unexplained"." Lois stared confusingly. "What the hell does that mean?!" "Just…tell him…"

Lois nodded. "A-alright, I'll tell him. Now stop talking and let me get you out of here." But Chloe shook her head. "Chelsea…needs to…understand…the truth." Lois didn't care what Chloe was saying; she was more concerned about her dying relative.

"Chloe, stay with me please! Don't you dare die!" she said to her desperately. Chloe's breathing became more shallow as she talked again. "Lois, tell everyone…I'm sorry. Especially Jimmy…and Clark. And that…I love them all…and you."

Lois felt so helpless as she held Chloe's bloody, dying body. "Chloe, don't…!" "Everything…will be alright…he…will make sure of that." "Who?" Lois asked, but Chloe did not answer.

Instead, she gave her last words: "Chelsea…must be…saved…" Chloe Sullivan Olsen spoke no more as her head lay backward and her body went limp. Lois stared unbelievingly into Chloe's blank eyes and cried silently as she cradled her cousin's body.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alcatraz Island:

Steel and the team waited at the shores as Flash did a "quick" look around the island. He zoomed back only seconds later. "I found a way inside without detection. It's on the West side of the island. There's an underground tunnel."

Steel nodded. "Good work Flash. Let's go team." Steel said firmly as he and the others marched on the tunnel. As they moved, he couldn't keep his mind off that horrible scream he heard.

The scream that he recognized as Lois Lane's.

To be continued.

Note: Okay, if I get flamed for this…I understand. But know that I did it for a reason. Please don't hate me after coming this far!


	66. Chapter 65 Alcatraz

After mourning Chloe, it is time to focus on the battle against Darkseid! Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 65: Alcatraz

Alcatraz Island:

Steel and the others arrived at the tunnel Flash found and treaded carefully inside. "Stay alert; we don't want to bump into any nasty surprises." Steel said as they moved. "Again with the sneaking around? Why can't we just do this the old fashion way?" Green Lantern complained.

"Because the less security we deal with, the better our chances are of reaching that machine. So _shut up_." Batman whispered back. Green Lantern sighed. "I'm sure we will see some action before long." Aquaman said.

They continued through the tunnel for a several, silent minutes. Finally, they stopped at a source of light up ahead. Steel motioned for the others to remain quiet while he used his super hearing.

A moment later he turned back to this teammates. "There are two guards positioned at the end of the tunnel. But they didn't sound human." "Then what are they?" Wonder Woman asked.

"I don't know, but they were the only ones I've heard on the other side." Steel took a quick peek around the corner and saw a large opening with two demonic looking creatures standing on either side.

"Would you mind?" Steel asked as he turned to Wonder Woman. "I will dispose of them quickly." she said confidently as she silently approached the guards. Once she was right behind them, she bashed their heads (painfully) together and they collapsed.

"All clear." she said after she saw that no one else was around. "Nice work, princess." Green Lantern replied. They stepped out of the tunnel to find themselves in a storage area.

"We better move; a patrol may come down here anytime." Flash advised. Agreeing with him, Steel got out his data pad from Chloe and turned it on. "The power source "Watchtower" found must be Darkseid's machine. It's located above us."

Steel and the team then moved up the stairs ahead of them. They emerged into a hallway of prison cells, but to their unpleasant surprise they were housing the many demon like creatures in the building.

"There's like an army of those things. We'd never get through without being spotted." Aquaman noted. Steel then looked at his data pad again. "The machine is beyond this hall. Flash and I can make it through unseen, but not the rest of you."

"What we need is a diversion." Batman suggested. "Got one in particular, Bats?" Green Lantern asked, smirking. Batman studied the area and the creatures. "I believe so." From his belt, Batman took out some of his smoke pellets.

At that time, Darkseid and his son, Kalibak, were in the chamber with what they call the "Anti-Life Striker". The chamber itself was massive; it took up the majority of the prison. The machine took up half that space. It basically resembled a hellish gateway. In three slots on the right, left, and center of it were the 3 objects Lucas had procured for his master.

"What is the progress on the machine, Kalibak?" Darkseid asked. Kalibak smirked. "It will reach full power shortly, father. When the "New Year" of this planet starts, the machine will instantly activate and the Anti-Life Equation is yours."

Darkseid nodded. "Good. Any word from Lucas about the White Martians?" "He said he finished breeding the last numbers that are needed for the invasion." His father seemed pleased…at least for the moment.

"Perhaps he can make up for his previous mishaps…" But he was interrupted by loud shrieking from his soldiers. "Sounds like the parademons are getting restless, father." Kalibak noted. Darkseid narrowed his eyes.

"Perhaps it is more than that. Go and investigate, just to be sure we don't have intruders." "At once, master." Kalibak then left the chamber. Alone, Darkseid stared at the machine (and the artifacts) with an evil glee. "Soon, very soon…"

At the prison halls, Steel and the others got past the confused and angered parademons. Thanks to Batman's smoke pellets, the beasts couldn't see a thing as the group knocked them down one by one in quick succession.

Being unprepared for a sneak attack, the creatures were helpless against the powerful heroes. By the time the smoke cleared, all of them were down. Steel and the others barely broke a sweat.

"Those things are strong, but easy to take out if caught off guard." Aquaman said as he massaged his fists. "Now this is what I was talking about!" Green Lantern said excitedly. "Okay everyone, let's move forward!" Steel instructed as the others followed him.

They entered a large anti chamber. "We are much closer now; the machine has to be on the other side of that door." But before they could move any farther, the door at the end opened, and came in an old friend that Steel and Green Lantern recognized: Kalibak.

'_Oh crap. Not that Neanderthal again!' _Green Lantern thought as he saw the big brute.Steel also hated that he would have to fight Kalibak again. The last time they fought, he was very formidable. But this time, Steel had a very powerful team with him. He hoped that would be enough.

Kalibak was shocked to see not only two of the enemies he faced before, but a whole bunch of others. "YOU AGAIN?! How did you miserable insects find your way in here?!" he shouted in anger.

"We don't have time to mess with him." Steel said. Green Lantern made up his mind. "We _all_ won't. I'll hold of our caveman while you guys go on ahead." "Don't be a fool Lantern! You can't take him alone!" Batman protested.

"He won't. I'll help him." Flash replied. "Make it three." Aquaman said. Steel looked at them, all looking determined to do their part. Reluctantly, he agreed.

"Alright, you three handle Kalibak. I'll go ahead with Batman and Wonder Woman." Steel said, with his other teammates agreeing. Kalibak snorted. "_None _of you will get past me!" he shouted as he charged at them with his club.

Green Lantern created a clamp construct with his ring and smashed Kalibak into a wall. "Go! We'll hold the line!" Flash shouted. Steel, Batman, and Wonder Woman ran ahead and went through the door.

Kalibak roared as he struggled to break free. By the time he did, Steel and his two allies had made it through. Apokolips' second-in-command was pissed off big time. "I will tear you three apart with my bare hands!!" "Bring it!" Green Lantern shouted as they began the brawl.

Around that time, Darkseid was waiting for Kalibak's report. However, he noticed something wrong his control board. One of his monitors reported that a "Compromise" has occurred at the Niihau facility.

Darkseid frowned as he took out his Mother Box, which had returned to him just recently. "Lucas Luthor's number…is officially up." With the push of a button, he vanished in a flash of light.

Just then, Steel, Batman, and Wonder Woman barged into the chamber. They marveled at the size (and nightmarish appearance) of the machine. "Good god." Batman said to himself in shock. "What a monstrosity." Wonder Woman noted.

Steel also had similar feelings; the machine looked nothing like he imagined. He looked around and found what they were looking for. "The artifacts!" he shouted, pointing to them all.

Wonder Woman gasped as she saw the gauntlet of Heracles staring before her. "It is still perfectly intact." she said as she took it out from it's slot. While Batman removed the black diamond, Steel removed the replica of Kordax's hand.

When they removed the three objects, the machine powered down somewhat. All the metallic sounds they heard died down considerably. "So far, so good." Steel said. "So where is Darkseid?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Not here." Batman answered. "Then let's not waste another second; to finish the job…we need to destroy the machine." Steel said firmly. "I suggest we destroy the artifacts too, as a precaution." Batman suggested.

Wonder Woman fiercely objected. "I will not destroy the gauntlet of Heracles! It is a priceless object of Greek history!" Batman was about to argue back, but Steel beat him to the punch. "Destroying the machine will be enough." he said with a sense of finality. Reluctantly, Batman agreed.

"Fine. So, do you have a specific idea, or would you prefer to just…smash it your bare hands?" Batman asked sarcastically. Steel looked over the machine for a moment, and an idea came to him. "Do you have any explosives?" Batman smirked.

"Like I said before: I like to be prepared for anything." he answered as he took out a small black circular device. Steel smiled back. "Then get started." Batman began planting explosives in strategically. He placed them where they couldn't be noticed until it was too late.

"10 should do it. I just need to arm them." Batman said. "With what?" Wonder Woman asked. Batman pointed to the center of his belt buckle. "I installed a remote detonator to my belt. I push it, and a 5 minute timer activates. That should be enough time for us to…"

But before he could finish, a flash of light behind Batman appeared and then he was knocked away across the chamber by a powerful fist. He hit a wall and fell to the floor, unconscious.

Steel and Wonder Woman stared at their enemy face to face. Darkseid's eyes glowed burning red as he focused on Steel. "At last, Kryptonian…we meet."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Road on the countryside:

Chelsea rode on her bike towards her next destination. With the successful murder of her mother, she felt nothing else could keep her from fulfilling her destiny. _'I am glad this is finally behind you, daughter. You must be relieved to finally give your despicable mother what she deserved.'_

The deranged girl smiled wildly. "I didn't happen the way I planned, but the deed is done…that's the important thing. Once my mission is complete, I will be free at last…free from the humans that I hate with all my heart!!!"

She began to laugh horribly as she rode past the sign welcoming her to her next destination: Smallville.

To be continued.


	67. Chapter 66 Showdown

Here we are: Clark and company vs. Darkseid!!! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 66: Showdown

Alcatraz Island:

Kalibak slams Aquaman hard in the ground. "You felt that, insect? It's only going to get worse!" He was about to break Aquaman's back Flash grabbed his teammate and moved him away in time.

"You okay?" Flash asked. "I'll live." Aquaman replied. Flash then focused on attacking Kalibak. With his unsurpassable speed and momentum, he landed many blows on the monster. The punches came so fast and so hard that Kalibak couldn't counterattack. This greatly frustrated him.

"Argh! Speedy bastard!" he yelled as he tried to hit Flash, but he missed. Aquaman fought back by landing in some strong blows of his own. Kalibak didn't like being attacked by more than one enemy at once.

Green Lantern to this opportunity to send a punching glove construct at Kalibak and sent him into the opposite wall. As they expected, Kalibak stood up once more for another round. "This guy is tough." Aquaman noted. Green Lantern chuckled.

"That doesn't even begin to describe him." "We really need to hurry up and beat so that we can help the others." Flash advised. His teammates agree. "Copy that speedster! Let's take Hulk Hogan here down!" Green Lantern shouted as they and Kalibak continued their battle.

In the main chamber, Steel and Wonder Woman stood in front of Darkseid. The tyrant did not look like he was in a good mood. "You and your friends have caused me a great deal of trouble, Kryptonian. But that shall end now with your demise."

"That won't happen Darkseid!" Steel shouted back. "Why do you wish to take Earth? What interest is it to you?" Wonder Woman asked. Darkseid narrowed his eyes at the Amazon.

"For many years I have desired the Anti-Life Equation to rule over all life in this universe. I have searched for any clues to how to acquire it, but after so many dead ends I have found the answer…Earth." he explained.

Steel and Wonder Woman listened, but didn't lower their guard. "I learned from Martian studies that pieces of the equation can be found within the minds of these humans. I have been planning for the day when I would take it's power for years, and the time has come for me to take it."

Darkseid then waved his toward his machine, while not taking his eyes of his enemies. "This device will grant me the power I desire, and the universe will not have the will to resist me." He then noticed that the three artifacts were not where they should be and saw two of them in his enemies' hands.

The tyrant growled. "I demand those objects back at once, if you wish to live." "And be your slaves?! I don't think so!" Steel retorted. "I concur!" the princess yelled in agreement. They then threw their artifacts away in a far corner, where they would not get damaged or destroyed.

Without warning, Darkseid fired red beams from his eyes at Steel and Wonder Woman, knocking them both down a few yards away. His attack was stronger than they anticipated; it felt like a volcano tried to burn through them.

While they were still down, Darkseid casually walked over and picked up the replica hand and the gauntlet. He then proceeded to put them back in their previous spots. When he turned back to them, they were standing once more.

"Where is the black diamond?" he asked angrily. Neither of the heroes answered. Darkseid then grunted as he remembered the third intruder. "Your other comrade has it, doesn't he?"

As Darkseid turned to Batman's direction, Steel super sped in front of him. Wonder Woman moved to his side almost as quickly. "You'll have to go through us first." Steel declared. Darkseid rubbed his fists. "So be it." With that, the final battle began.

Darkseid threw a punch at Steel, which be barely blocked. His feet sank a little into the metal floor; he was shocked at how strong Darkseid was. Another punch from him pushed him down even further. Steel managed to find and opening and struck back.

Darkseid staggered a little, but before he could retaliate Wonder Woman sent a powerful blow of her own. He flew into the far wall behind him. It took only seconds for him to get back into the fight. "You both are strong…" he then smiled. "I shall enjoy this."

Steel and Wonder Woman were shocked that their attacks barely grazed him. _'If he is as durable as Kalibak, then this is going to get real ugly. Batman, you need to arm the explosives now!' _the Kryptonian thought as he and Darkseid exchanged blows again.

Batman, meanwhile, had regained consciousness. Whatever hit him felt powerful enough to break him in two. His body ached as he slowly stood up again. Batman then saw the fight between his friends and Darkseid…which was brutal to say the least.

The Dark Knight cursed himself for not moving as quickly as he should have. He had to activate the bombs he placed and get the hell out of there. However, to his horror he discovered that the bombs had _already_ been armed. He could tell because his belt buckle was blinking a red light; it would only do that when the bombs were active.

He then checked a timer on one of his wrist gauntlets: It showed that 4 minutes remained until the bombs go off. _'Damn! It must've activated when I hit the floor!'_ He had to warn the others to finish their fights and get out. For all he knew, this whole place could implode once the machine was destroyed.

Back in the antechamber, Kalibak was getting the workout of his life against his three adversaries. Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman looked a little worse for wear, but they weren't quitting. They saw that Kalibak was starting to sweat, but he still had plenty of fight left in him.

"We got him now guys!" Aquaman shouted as he landed a strong blow in Kalibak's gut. But the brute retaliated with using his club, which shot a painful energy blast at Aquaman. "Don't be too sure, you little speck!"

He then shot another blast at Aquaman, but Green Lantern shielded his friend with his ring. "Thanks G-Man!" The young Atlantean prince said gratefully. Green Lantern gave him a thumbs up, along with his traditional smirk.

Flash then raced at Kalibak and delivered multiple punches in rapid succession. Irritated, Kalibak tried to swat him, but again he missed as Flash zoomed away. But Kalibak aimed his club's blast at a spot where Flash ran at and knocked him off his feet.

While he was shaken, Kalibak ran towards the scarlet speedster and rammed him into the wall. Flash screamed from the impact. "Not so fast now worm!" Kalibak laughed evilly.

Angered by his friend being taken down, Aquaman grabbed Kalibak from behind and threw him across the room. "You alright?" Aquaman asked as he helped up Flash. "Yeah…that really hurt." he answered.

Kalibak got up yet again. "Enough playing around! Time to die!!" But before he could make good on his word, a giant green hammer smashed Kalibak into the floor…repeatedly. Green Lantern kept on pounding using his construct.

Each impact shook the room. After around the 10th strike, Green Lantern floated down to his two friends. "Thanks." Flash said. "Anytime pal." But then Kalibak got back up. He was bleeding, bruised, and breathing very hard.

The others were stunned. "Oh hell no!" Aquaman shouted in anger. "How could he still stand after all that?!" Flash asked. "Doesn't really surprise me. He's a real pain in the ass." Green Lantern said frustratingly.

Kalibak, barely standing, lifted his club and aimed it at the three of them. "I…will not…BE DEFEATED!!!" He then fired one more attack from his weapon. Green Lantern fought back with an energy blast of his own.

Slowly but steadily, Green Lantern pushed Kalibak's beam back. Kalibak couldn't believe this was happening to him…_him_, the second strongest warrior on Apokolips! He was being beaten by these Earthmen, and he hated it.

At the moment Green Lantern's beam hit Kalibak, Flash and Aquaman joined in for a "triple knockout" as their punches and Green Lantern's beam slammed him into the wall. As the smoke cleared, the three heroes were pleased with themselves.

Kalibak the Cruel moved no more as he fell to the floor, defeated. The trio wiped sweat of their foreheads. "Nice beating, boys!" Green Lantern said to his friends, who smiled back and chuckled.

While that battle was taking place, Darkseid seemed evenly matched in his fight with Steel and Wonder Woman. He blocked a punch from the princess, then he grabbed her and threw her at Steel. He managed to catch her, though both got knocked down.

Instead of going after them, Darkseid merely walked over to a secret panel and opened it. "I have something I have been meaning to test out. I was saving it for a special occasion…at first for the invasion, but now…"

What he took out was a small wristband with a small blue orb in the center. Once he wrapped it around his wrist and pressed the orb, he became covered by dark blue energy. Steel and Wonder Woman were at a loss for this.

"This is an ancient device I had stolen from my world's counterpart, New Genesis. It amplifies my already formidable strength and endurance, as well as protect me from energy based attacks. I acquired it as a replacement for the Reach scarab, which escaped due to your interference."

Wonder Woman kicked him and punched him, but he didn't even budge this time. He then fired his red beams again and blasted the Amazon across the chamber. "No!" Steel shouted. Darkseid smirked. "It's just you and me now, Kryptonian."

Sneering, Steel flew at Darkseid and proceeded to pummel him. But no matter how hard he hit or how many blows he landed, Darkseid didn't seem to feel any of them. Darkseid then grabbed Steel's head and delivered a ultra powerful head butt. This resulted in his shades being broken.

It sent Steel flying across the chamber and got slammed onto a far wall. He barely managed to move before Darkseid came charging at him like a bull whose seen red. Steel charged after him and collided with a force that shook the whole chamber.

Darkseid then grabbed Steel and kneed him in the chin and threw him to the ground. "Ready to give in?" he coldly asked. Steel, breathing hard, stood firm as he got back up. "Never!" Darkseid snorted as he fired his eye beams at him, which forced Steel back to the walls again.

The tyrant kept the pressure on as he continued his attack. Slowly, but steadily, Steel managed to push himself towards his opponent. Darkseid was amazed that the young Kryptonian was still able to fight.

As he pressed forward, Steel's costume burned away little by little. Both Batman and Wonder Woman stared in awe of how their friend and leader continued the struggle. When Steel reached Darkseid again, he unleashed a volley of powerful blows that he actually felt.

Most of Steel's sleeveless red vest had been burned away. What remained of it clung on around his neck and looked like a torn up cape. But Darkseid ducked from his latest punch and sent one of his own in his enemy's gut.

That knocked the breath out of Steel as he collapsed. Darkseid clamped his hands together and brought them down on Steel's back, which caused him to yell in great pain. "You can _never_ defeat me! I am your superior!"

Before Darkseid could strike again, a cable wrapped around his arms and tightened them together. Batman then jumped and kicked Darkseid in the face. The alien grunted. "How pathetic. You are much weaker than your friends."

Batman smirked. "It takes more than brute strength to win a fight." "I shall prove you wrong, human." Darkseid then snapped the cable and fired red lasers at his new foe, but Batman nimbly dodged them and tried to land a punch.

Of course, Darkseid caught it and slightly crushed it, causing Batman to yell painfully. Batman grabbed Darkseid's arm with his free hand and tried to force it off, but it did no good. Darkseid smirked as he flung Batman at the control board of his machine.

"It would seem my "brute strength" was enough to win this fight after all." To his surprise, Batman smiled. "You should pay more attention to your opponent's actions, Darkseid…it could be a costly mistake otherwise." he said as he held up Darkseid's wristband.

Darkseid looked shocked as he looked at his wrist (where his device was), and then back at Batman. "Damn you!" "He is crafty, isn't he?" Steel said as he watched with amusement. Wonder Woman soon joined him. "I would definitely agree."

Darkseid turned back at his other two foes. "You two shall be next!" Just then, the door leading out has been blasted open by a green energy blast. "Mind if we cut in?" Green Lantern asked as he, Flash, and Aquaman stepped in. Steel smiled. "By all means."

Darkseid snarled as he fired his eye blasts, but the new players scattered. Flash ran up to Darkseid and slugged him some super fast blows. Darkseid to punch him when he got the chance, but he was far too slow.

Next up, Aquaman jumped and brought both his fists down on the giant's head. Darkseid staggered as the Atlantean prince delivered a strong uppercut. Green Lantern followed up with two green hands that clapped together on Darkseid 5 times.

Darkseid's vision became blurry as Wonder Woman stepped in with some powerful punches in the face and stomach, and landed a kick in the head. Finally, Steel stepped up for the big knockout.

"_This_ is for all the trouble you've caused on my planet." He gathered his full strength into his fist and hit the tyrant as hard as he possibly could. The blow sent Darkseid actually through the wall and into another part of the building.

Steel fell to his knees and panted hard. His friends walked over and helped him up. Wonder Woman went over to help Batman. Once they were all grouped together, Steel smiled at all of them.

"Thanks guys." "Hey, what are friends for?" Aquaman asked. "Are you guys okay?" Flash asked. "Just battered and bruised." Steel said humorously. "I have never been a battle so intense, but I will heal." Wonder Woman answered. Batman painfully laughed. "I will need a long vacation after this."

They all laughed…well, most of them. "Hey Bats, can't you have a good laugh for once? The good guys won today!" Green Lantern said. "We need to leave now! The bombs will…" But an explosion from behind the team finished what Batman was about to say.

The bombs he placed went off one by one. They watched as the small explosions destabilized the machine. "The artifacts!" Steel yelled. Wonder Woman flew to the corner and picked up the gauntlet and the replica hand. The diamond was safe and secure in Batman's belt.

"Time to blow this joint!" Green Lantern yelled as he incased Batman, Flash, and Aquaman in a green bubble and flew out threw the opening, right behind Steel and Wonder Woman.

As they left, the machine became destabilized and was approaching critical mass. Kalibak regained consciousness and followed to where his father might be, judging from the fresh hole in the main chamber.

He found Darkseid laying in a heap of rubble, which was being dug away by the parademons that regrouped to their master. "Father! The intruders have dismantled the machine! It will explode any second!" Darkseid's eyes burned red once more.

"I am fully aware of the situation, Kalibak! We shall discuss this back on Apokolips." He then activated his Mother Box and soon he, his son, and all the parademons around them all vanished.

Before he disappeared entirely, Darkseid made a vow to return to Earth, and make the Kryptonian, Kal-El, pay for this defeat. _'Someday, I will return…and when I see you again Kal-El, I will destroy you.'_

The machine then blew up into a massive fireball that increased in size and consumed the chamber. Steel and the others were at a good distance before the explosion consumed the whole Alcatraz facility. The explosion could be seen from miles.

"Finally, it is over." Wonder Woman said. Steel shook his head, puzzling everyone. "No Diana…it's not over." As they flew back to Metropolis, Clark knew that there was still one problem left to deal with: Chelsea.

He also dreaded to learn what caused Lois to scream out Chloe's name with clear horror.

To be continued.


	68. Chapter 67 Suffering

We are very close to the end now! Just this one and two more. Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 67: Suffering

Oliver's Apartment, Metropolis:

By the time Clark and his team returned to Metropolis, it was a quarter till midnight (aka, New Years). When they got back, they found J'onn, Oliver and the others waiting for them. They smiled and welcomed back their comrades.

"I take it that the infiltration of Niihau was successful?" Batman asked. "Oh yeah." Oliver replied proudly. "The White Martians are no more." J'onn said with a smile. "You guys looked like you had a blast at Alcatraz." Blue Beetle stated.

"You could say that." Flash answered. "What about Lucas?" Clark asked. "Eh, we left him behind. From the way he was on his knees "begging" me to kill him, he must've figured Darkseid would catch up with him." Oliver answered. "You're father would be proud of you today Kal-El." J'onn said. This made Clark warm on the inside.

While the heroes and heroines were filling each other in on the details of their missions, Clark remained silent. He was glad that Oliver did the right thing and let Lucas live instead of giving in to vengeance. But he also felt pity for Lucas for whatever fate Darkseid handed to him.

Still, he deserved it after everything he's done. "Hey Clark, what's the matter? You should be celebrating! We saved the world from the enemy we were warned about! We changed the future for the better!" Kara encouraged as she approached.

"I know; I'm glad we succeeded. And I'm also glad you came back alive." Kara lightly punched him on the shoulder. "Same here. But of course I came back; I'm a tough girl." Clark nodded. Kara looked him over.

"And by the way, you're a mess." "Darkseid gave us a hell of a fight. If it wasn't for the rest of the team, I would've been killed." "It is fortunate then, that it didn't turn out that way." Diana said as she came over.

Clark smiled, and then super sped to Oliver's back room and came out wearing his casual clothes. "Where are you going?" Kara asked. This got everyone else's attention. "I need to check on Chloe. I won't be long." He then zoomed out without another word.

"What's with him? Is he not the celebrating type?" Hal asked. "Something's not right. Clark didn't seem very happy before he left." Diana quickly agreed with Kara. "He wasn't." "What do you know Diana?" Kara asked, concerned for her cousin.

Diana too frowned. "When we arrived at Alcatraz, Clark hesitated. I asked him what was bothering him, but he insisted it was nothing. However, I could clearly sense pain from him." Diana then looked at all the others, also worried about their friend and leader.

"I fear something terrible has happened…and Clark knows about it."

* * *

Chloe's Apartment:

When Clark opened the door into Chloe's apartment, he was met with a crowd of policeman. They were moving all over the place. As his concerns grew, Clark looked for Chloe, but he could not see her.

He did, however, find Lois with Jimmy and Chloe's parents. They were hugging and, unless Clark was mistaken…crying. This was not a good sign for the Kryptonian.

"Lois?" Instantly, Lois turned and saw Clark. She hastily wiped away her tears and came to him, embracing him tightly. "Where the hell do you keep disappearing to when I call you Smallville?!" she asked frustratingly.

Clark did not like this one bit as he let her go. "Lois, what happened? Where's Chloe?" he asked fearfully. Lois did not meet his eye and remained silent; this made Clark scared even more. "Please tell me. I have to know." he insisted.

Bracing herself, Lois looked Clark straight in the eye and took a deep breath. "Clark…Chloe is dead." The answer made Clark felt horribly numb and he almost couldn't breathe. For a long moment, he could not say anything.

"What?" he whispered. Lois nodded. "I'm sorry. She's gone." Clark shook his head, and his eyes began to water. "No; it can't be." "I saw it happen with my own eyes. She died right in my arms. There was nothing I could do…"

Looking over the crowd, Clark managed to spot a large black bag on a stretcher…a body bag. Clark walked past Lois and approached the bag. "Sir, keep back." one of the policemen said as Clark walked up to him.

"I want to see her." he demanded in a shaking voice. "Sir…" "She was my best friend! Let me see her!" he shouted, causing everyone else to turn to his direction. Reluctantly, the officer unzipped the bag so that Clark could see the face.

Clark stared into Chloe's pale, lifeless face. Tears ran down his cheeks as he looked at the friend that had been by his side for years, ever since right before high school. She had saved him probably as many times as he saved hers. And now that person was gone.

One of Clark's tears fell on Chloe's face as he looked over her. Clark scrunched his face and sniffed. "Chloe…I'm sorry." A few moments later, the officer asked Clark to step back so they could take the body out. He stepped back as the bag was zipped back and carted out.

Clark silently sobbed, standing where he saw his best friend's face for the last time. He then felt a warm hand on his shoulder. Clark turned to see Lois, also suffering. After all, she was Chloe's cousin.

He couldn't believe he lost another close friend in such a short time. First Bart…and now Chloe. Slowly, Clark's grief turned into anger. "Who did this?" This time, it was Jimmy who answered.

"It was a girl named Shannon." Clark turned to him. "Chloe's parents bumped into her on the way here earlier today." "She said she was sorry for ramming our cab with her motorbike, and asked if she could make up for it by helping us move Chloe and Jimmy in here." Moira said.

"After we were done, Shannon insisted on cooking a meal for us. After she gave us all the ingredients we needed, we left Chloe and Shannon here…alone. When we came back…Lois filled us in." Gabe finished, puffy eyed as well.

"Lois wasn't here at the time?" Clark asked. "I was still at the Daily Planet, finishing up work for the day. I then decided to pay Chloe a visit. When I got there, Shannon held a knife at my cousin's throat." Lois answered bitterly.

"Then what?" Clark asked, wanting every detail. "I got her away from Chloe and we had a major throw down. She warned me that she only wanted Chloe, but decided to kill me since I was in her way. When I thought she had it, she threw her knife at me. And then, Chloe pushed me away at the last second…and got stabbed instead."

Clark felt white hot anger at this Shannon. Whoever she was, Clark swore he would find her and bring her to justice. "Why would she kill Chloe, and only her? Where did she go? What do we know about her?"

The others shrugged. "Not enough to go on." Jimmy said, also angry. "But I hope she gets arrested and is imprisoned for life!" he shouted. Clark felt great sorrow for Jimmy; Chloe was his wife. They had only been married for a few weeks before this happened.

"Don't worry son; justice will be served." Gabe assured him as he patted him on the shoulder. Moira nodded in agreement. They were upset at losing their only child, but tried to be strong. Clark will definitely make sure justice was served. "What does she look like?"

Lois answered. "She's about Chloe's height, brown hair and eyes, and wore black leather all over." Clark nodded as he turned. "Where are you heading off too?" Lois asked as she caught up with him. "To find anything that can lead us to Shannon."

Lois grabbed his arm. "Listen Clark, I know how pissed off you; hell we all are. But there is more to the story." "What are you talking about?" Clark asked as they moved to a private area.

"When I got here, I heard her say things to Chloe…things that I felt only you should know about." Clark then became confused. "What did you hear?" Lois hesitated for a moment. ""Shannon" is not the name of Chloe's killer." "Then what is her name?" Lois hesitated again before answering.

"This is going to sound totally bizarre, but…it's Chelsea." Clark's eyes widened with shock. Once again, he had difficulty breathing. "Chelsea?! As in…Chloe's missing daughter? _She_ killed Chloe?!" he asked in disbelief.

"Unfortunately, yes. I wouldn't have believed it at first, but after what Steel told me…" she remembered what Steel said about Chelsea and Brainiac's involvement with her.

Now Clark was mixed with anger, grief, and confusion. He couldn't believe that Chloe had been killed by her daughter, her own flesh and blood. Clark knew from Rokk that Chelsea would somehow cause humanity's demise, but still…for Chelsea's own mother to be her first victim? Could Brainiac have warped her that much?

"If this is "Chelsea" we're talking about, then why would she kill her own mother?" Lois cleared her throat. "From what I could tell, she hated Chloe because she abandoned her at birth…and wanted serious payback."

"But Chelsea was taken from the hospital that day, not abandoned by her own mother." Clark stated. "We both know that, but apparently she doesn't. And Chelsea wasn't willing to listen before trying to knife Chloe."

Clark nodded and understood the situation more. _'Brainiac made Chelsea believe her mother threw her away. She must've really hated Chloe.'_ But now Clark didn't know if he hated Chelsea, or feel sorry for her; he was still grieving for Chloe's death.

"Do you have any idea where she might have gone?" Lois shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine." She then remembered something else. "Clark, before Chloe died… she wanted me tell you something." Clark became interested. "What did she say?"

"She told me to tell you to read "Tales of the Weird and Unexplained." I know it was her favorite book in the world, but I don't see why she waited until her dying breath to want you to read it." Clark narrowed his eyes.

"She must've wanted me to read it for a reason. If I know Chloe, it has to be important. Where is it?" Lois then led Clark to Chloe's room. She then scanned the bookshelf next to Chloe's bed and found it in seconds.

"What could be in here that Chloe wanted you to find?" Lois asked as she handed the book to Clark. As he skimmed through the pages, he found a note stuck in the middle, like a bookmark. Clark and Lois eyed it curiously. Clark took it out and read it aloud:

"_Dear Clark, if you're reading this, it means I'm dead. Also, it must mean that Chelsea has come back…and she's probably the one that killed me. If that's the case, then you must convince her to not follow the path she is on. _

"_The thought of the possibility of my daughter being the end of human life…is just unbearable. No matter how badly she's turned out, she is still my child. My dying wish, Clark…is that you bring her out of the darkness, and back into the light._

"_I left something on the back of this book that will come in handy. I know you are the only one who can make that happen; I believe in you. I always have…and I always will._

_Love, Chloe."_

After reading it, Clark turned to the very back of the book. There, he found a DVD disk. It was labeled "Memories for Chelsea". "What is on there?" Lois asked. Clark took out the disk and looked determined. "Hopefully, the only way to save Chelsea from herself."

Lois then threw her arms out. "But why?! If Chloe somehow suspected Chelsea would go after her, then why would she do this? Didn't she know how we would react?!" Clark studied Lois' reaction and understood.

"Because she was Chelsea's mother…and Chloe thought there was hope for her." he answered simply. "And why would Chloe ask you to give Chelsea a "redemption" card?" Clark sighed. "She believed in me." Clark wondered where Chelsea was now, and what Brainiac was making her do.

* * *

Kent Farm:

After parking her bike by the house, Chelsea walked to the barn. "It's in there?" she asked. _"The day Kal-El took me to his fortress, he showed me where he kept it. I would be surprised if he moved it."_

"So this is where Kal-El lives?" she questioned as she looked around the farm. "Why would anyone grow in a place like _this_?" Brainiac could tell she was unimpressed with the place.

"_Don't ponder on how things so trivial."_ Chelsea understood. "Yes father. The sooner I complete my mission, the better. But what if Kal-El pops out of nowhere any second?"

"_I doubt he's even home, daughter. He is sure to have…problems of his own." _After that reassurance, Chelsea walked up the stairs to the loft. She approached Clark's desk and opened a drawer to find a book.

According to her father, the object she was seeking was hidden in that book. But when she opened it, she was shocked; it was not there. An octagonal shaped space stared at Chelsea in the face. "It's not here. Where is it?"

"Looking for this?" Chelsea turned and looked down from the loft to the barn floor. Three young adults stood there looking up at Chelsea.

One was a boy with red hair wearing an blue and white outfit with a lightning bolt on both sides of his chest. Another was a blonde girl wearing a red and white costume with the planet Saturn on her chest. The third guy, the one in the middle, had black hair and had a black and dark purple costume with 4 silver circles on his chest (2 on each side).

He was the one holding the object Chelsea was seeking: Clark's octagonal key from his ship. "You want it? Come and get it." he challenged. Chelsea narrowed her eyes and gave an evil smirk.

"You've just made a big mistake."

To be continued.


	69. Chapter 68 Heart

Hey people! We are now at the penultimate chapter of my story! How will Chelsea be stopped?! Find out now! Enjoy!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 68: Heart

Kent Farm:

Chelsea stared down at the three strangers. "The only one who's made a mistake is you." The blonde girl said to Chelsea. To their surprise, Chelsea jumped and flipped down on her feet from the loft.

"Who are you? How did you know what I was after?" she asked. "Who we are is not important." said Rokk. "But as for how we knew…let's just we read our history." said the red haired boy. Chelsea shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. Everyone on this planet will die anyway." "That's what we are preventing." Rokk replied as he held on to Clark's key. Chelsea stared at it hungrily. "You don't know what you're up against." she said as she held out her hand towards the key. "Garth, Imra…stand ready." Rokk commanded.

Suddenly, her eyes blackened and Brainiac's symbol appeared in them. To the Legion's surprise, the key glowed as well and energy shot from it towards Chelsea. When the energy dissipated, she gave off a faint glow. "Uh, Rokk…what the hell just happened?" Garth asked. Chelsea answered instead.

"I just took a power boost from that key. And now you three will fall." With a wave of her arm, Chelsea released an energy surge that knocked the legion of their feet. When they fell, Rokk dropped the key underneath the tractor.

Quickly, the trio got back up. "We can't let her get that key! Imra, hold her off! Garth, wait for my mark!" Rokk instructed. "Wanting more, are you?" Chelsea asked arrogantly. Suddenly, she felt a strong presence in her mind…and it wasn't her father.

"_You will stop this. You will not fight us anymore. We don't won't to hurt you. What you are doing is wrong. Surrender…" "Did you honestly think my daughter would be alone?"_ Brainiac replied as he forced Imra out of Chelsea's mind and sent a backlash at her, causing her to fall and suffer a headache.

"Sorry, telepath. Access denied." Chelsea as she smirked. Imra felt her head pounding as she lay on the ground. Chelsea then got hit by a big energy wave and got slammed into a hack stack.

"Perfect timing, Garth." Rokk commended as he and Garth tapped the fists together. "One electromagnetic pulse and Brainiac girl is down!" "Hopefully. You okay, Imra?" Rokk asked as he helped up their friend.

"I'm fine. But my head's killing me." she answered as she rubbed her head. But just as they thought Chelsea was out, they saw her getting back up. "No way! That should've knocked you out colder than a mackerel!" Garth shouted.

Chelsea smirked again. "It would have…if the energy field surrounding me didn't protect me and my father. Kal-El's key has a lot of juice in it." Before the Legion could counterattack, Chelsea super sped and slapped all three of them all across the barn. They each fell at a different spot, hard.

With her enemies down for the count, Chelsea walked over to get the key. "Chelsea, you must stop." Rokk said as he leaned up. "Don't listen to that whacked out father of yours." Garth begged. "If you do this, you will kill your own people." Imra pleaded. Chelsea looked over at them with hate.

"I _have_ no people!" she shouted as she lifted up the tractor and retrieved the key. After she let the tractor drop, the energy around her faded and her eyes returned to normal. _"Good work, my child. Now, let us be on our way."_ Brainiac said. "Thank you father." Chelsea replied as she walked out.

The Legion was so injured that they couldn't move just yet. "That went well." Garth said humorlessly. Rokk swore as he hit his hand on the dirt. "Damn it!." He then turned to Imra. "Imra, contact Kal-El now. He is our last hope." Imra nodded as she reached out with her mind.

Rokk shook his head in defeat. _"Sorry Kal…we tried."_

* * *

Oliver's Apartment:

Kara and the others waited for Clark to return. They were all concerned for what was troubling him, especially Kara and Diana. With a brush of wind, Clark came back carrying a small bag around his shoulder. He didn't look any better than he did before he left; he looked worse.

Kara was the first to notice. "Clark, are you ok?" Her cousin didn't say anything at first. He then delivered the grave news. "Chloe's been murdered." Everyone gasped in horror. "No." Jaime said in disbelief. "By whom?" Oliver asked, looking aghast.

"Chelsea." Their shock grew even more as Clark told them the terrible tale of the event. When he was done, the whole team felt great sorrow. "We are so sorry, Clark." Kara said as she hugged him. "I know." Clark said as he hugged back.

"I can't believe Chelsea would kill her own mother." Barry said. "That was not the worst of it. What was truly awful was that her desire to kill Chloe was based on a lie." Diana replied. "That is one sick, twisted kid." Hal commented, shaking his head.

"I agree with Jordan." Batman grimly added. "Whether she killed her mother by accident or not, Chelsea has become a murderer. She must be stopped before she strikes again." Clark snapped as he walked right in front of Batman.

"You listen, and listen good! Chloe asked me to save her daughter from Brainiac's influence! I'm not going to let her down!" Batman remain firm where he stood. "Your best friend's daughter crossed a line. And people who cross that line are beyond saving." Clark looked very pissed off.

"Are you saying there's no hope for Chelsea?! That there's no way she can be given a second chance?!" Batman chose his next words carefully. "I'm saying that you should face reality." Clark was about to argue further, but Diana butted in.

"Clark can at least try. Everyone deserves a chance for redemption, even Chelsea." Clark never felt more appreciation for the Amazon princess. "Thank you Diana." Batman grunted as he turned away.

"What about Chloe's parents, Jimmy, and Lois?" Dinah asked. "Lois went back to the Talon for the night, along with Gabe and Moira. Jimmy decided to stay at the apartment alone." "I'll go keep Jimmy company." Kara said as she speed dressed into ordinary clothes and sped away.

Clark understood why she wanted to be with him. She felt how he felt about losing a loved one. "So what now?" AC asked. "We should begin a search for Chelsea. She could still be somewhere in the city." J'onn suggested, to which almost everyone agreed.

As much as he appreciated it, Clark refused. "Thanks guys, but no thanks. You've all been through enough tonight; I'll look for Chelsea alone. Besides, this has become personal." "Are you sure about that?" Victor asked. "Yeah."

At that moment, Clark heard an unfamiliar voice in his head. _"Kal-El, you must come to your farm immediately. The Legion needs you."_ Clark saw that the others looked puzzled about something.

"Sounds like you are needed elsewhere." J'onn said. "You heard it too?" Clark asked in surprise. The Martian nodded. "Heard what?" Oliver asked. "Look, I need to go. If I need you, I'll give a call." Before anyone could say another word, Clark super sped away.

The rest of the League looked at one another in confusion. "What the hell was that all about?" Hal asked.

* * *

Kent Farm:

When Clark arrived at the farm, he found three people lying on the ground in the barn. He immediately helped them up. He recognized Rokk, but the other two he never saw before.

"Thanks Kal." Rokk said appreciatively. He introduced them to his teammates. "Kal-El, meet Garth Ranzz and Imra Ardeen. They are also cofounders of the Legion like me." Clark said hi to them.

"It was I who contacted you telepathically, Kal." Imra said. "I came as soon as I heard you. What happened here?" Clark asked. "Chelsea kicked our asses, that's what." Garth replied dryly. Clark showed a shocked expression.

"Chelsea was here?" "Not anymore. She stole your ship's key and took off." Imra explained. "We tried to reason with her, like you suggested, but we couldn't get through to her. She was dead set on accomplishing her goal." Rokk said seriously.

Clark sighed; saving Chelsea was going to be very hard indeed (if not impossible). "What did Chelsea want with my key?" The Legion looked dead serious. "I think it's about time you told me what Chelsea's plans are." Clark insisted a little bit.

Rokk agreed. "As you know, your key is what allows you to travel from the old Kawatche caves to your Fortress of Solitude. Well, that's why Chelsea took it." "But what does she plan to do at the fortress?" Clark asked. "To initiate the Black Zero virus." Imra answered. Clark didn't like the sound of that. "Black Zero virus?"

"It's this nasty program that got downloaded into the stones of knowledge before they got sent here to Earth, courtesy of Brainiac. When activated, it will trigger a massive energy wave that will literally tear apart every single human on the planet. First their minds will break down, then the rest afterward." Garth explained.

Clark was alarmed deeply by this revelation. "Jor-El never told me about it." he said softly. "He probably didn't want to mention it unless it actually became an issue." Rokk guessed. Once again, Clark felt offended that his "father" kept something from him that he should know about.

"So that's the "horror" Chelsea will unleash?" Clark asked for confirmation. "Yep." Garth said. Clark nodded. "Thanks for trying. Now it's my turn." "Whoa, wait up Kal! If we couldn't convince her the difference between right and wrong, how can you?" Garth asked.

Clark gave him a very determined look. "Because I believe I can." he said before he flew away. The Legion looked up in hope. "Now what?" Imra asked. Rokk looked up at the sky. "We follow Kal-El. He may need back up." With that, they flew off after Clark.

* * *

Fortress of Solitude:

Chelsea gazed around the Kryptonian structure that has been so well hidden from the rest of the world. Unlike the farm, she actually was impressed by it. "To think, everything to know about multiple galaxies can be found here." she said to herself.

"_It is quite a treasure trove of knowledge. But you are here to fulfill your destiny, not to expand your mind. You know what to do."_ "Of course: Activate the Black Zero virus and watch all of humanity fall to pieces." she said with a sinister tone.

Chelsea found the console and placed her hands over it._**"You are forbidden to be here, offspring of Brainiac."** _Jor-El warned at the young girl. Chelsea snorted. "Like you can stop me, you old computerized fart."

Just like when Brainiac 5 did when he was possessed, the console sparked at Chelsea. However, she was not feeling the shocks. "Nice try, but I'm too tough for little defenses like that." she replied as she hacked, using the power she inherited from her father.

Within seconds, the fortress changed from bright white to coal black. Chelsea placed her hands down as the console pulsed. _"Excellent. You've just sealed humanity's fate." _Chelsea nodded, seemingly pleased with herself. "Now everyone will get what they deserve…just like my heartless mother."

"Chloe wasn't heartless!" A surprised Chelsea turned around to see Clark, who looked fearful at what happened to the fortress. Chelsea smirked. "Let me guess…the mighty Kal-El himself."

Clark was astounded at how much Chelsea had grown; she was just a little baby when he last saw her. And now Brainiac made her a vessel of doom for Earth. He had to put a stop to it.

"Chelsea, I know what you did…and why you did it." "Then you know why I'm doing this. Every single human on this pitiful planet is about to die within a matter of minutes. You can't stop it; it's too late." Clark shook his head.

"No it's not. Don't do what Brainiac wants you to." "And why not? He's the only one that's ever been there for me! My father showed me the dark disgusting creatures humans really are…and my mother was the perfect example."

"Chelsea, he lied to you! Your mother didn't abandon you at birth; Brainiac stole you from her!" Chelsea sneered at Clark. "She also said I was stolen from her when I was depriving her of air, but I didn't buy it one bit. You were raised by humans. You were taught to lie as well as they do."

"Brainiac is the real liar. Not all humans are like that. Chloe couldn't be more of the opposite." "Enough about my mother!" Chelsea shouted in outrage. "Just the mere thought of her makes me sick!"

"Your mother did love you, and I can prove it." Clark said strongly. Those words silenced Chelsea for a moment. "_Prove it?_" she asked, not with anger…but with a tiny sense of hope. Clark nodded slowly as he opened the bag he carried and took out the contents.

He held up a portable DVD player in one hand, and in the other the disk Chloe left in her book. Chelsea walked towards Clark slowly with growing confusion. "_Memories for Chelsea?_" she asked as she read the label on the disk.

"Chloe made this for you before she died. She wanted me to make sure you see it." Chelsea looked from the DVD to Clark and back. Clark could tell she was being indecisive. "Are you going to force me to look at this?" she asked. To her surprise, Clark said no. "It's your choice. I just hope you make the right one."

Chelsea didn't know what to do at that moment. For as long as she knew, her mother was a not the person that would take the time and trouble to raise a girl like Chelsea. She wanted nothing to do with her.

But on the other hand, she always wanted to have a mother…one that would want someone (or rather something) like Chelsea, no matter how different she was. She loved her father, but she wanted a mother too.

All Chelsea ever knew about Chloe she had heard from Brainiac; she had no one else to tell her about her mother. When she was with Chloe before she killed her, she was so full of hate that she didn't believe a word she said.

Although, Chloe did seem nice and compassionate. And she did try to tell her about what happened after the two got separated. And of course, Chelsea saw her give up her own life to save her cousin, Lois. That didn't seem like the behavior humans supposedly had, according to her father.

'_Did my mother really love me after all? Did she really want to keep me?'_ she thought to herself. She had a chance to find out for sure. _"Don't listen to him! He's trying to cloud your mind with lies. I'm the _only_ one you can trust, Chelsea."_

Chelsea felt conflicted. Who should she choose to listen: Her father, or Clark? It was clear that her father didn't want her believe what Clark had to offer, but Clark wanted Chelsea to choose. Her father didn't give her a choice, and yet Clark did.

Her curiosity suddenly overcoming her father's words, Chelsea took the DVD and inserted it into the player. Clark held it up for her so that she could watch. What she was Chloe sitting on a comfy couch in the Talon. She was also smiling.

"_Hi Chelsea. If you're watching this, it means I'm no longer around to tell you things myself. I'm sure you must have a lot of questions for me, but I will fill in all the blanks. Just sit back and listen to your dear mother spill her guts out."_ Chelsea watched in anticipation.

"_First of all, you need to know that when you were born, I wanted nothing more than to raise you as my daughter. I'll admit, I was scared at the prospect of being a parent; I wasn't exactly prepared for it. But I decided to step up and do what was best for you; to have a mother."_

Clark saw how confused Chelsea looked as she watched. _"But I never got the chance. Someone stole you from the hospital the night you were born. I later learned that it was your father, Brainiac. When I heard you were taken…I was devastated beyond words."_ Chloe said with a sad face and voice.

Chelsea was shaking her head in disbelief. _"I heard there was a possibility that Brainiac might brainwash you into doing something terrible."_ Chelsea saw Chloe sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye.

"_I was really scared then. Not for me…for you. I was so worried about what you would become when you eventually come back home. But despite how afraid I was, I never stopped loving you. Why? Well, see this."_

The screen the changed to Chloe lying in her hospital bed, holding baby Chelsea. Chelsea's mouth hung open in shock as she saw herself being held, and apparently loved, by the woman that supposedly tossed her away.

She simply couldn't believe it, and yet it was right in front of her. Chloe looked so radiant, so…happy. She even kissed her on the head. Chelsea then heard her mother whisper something into her infant's ear: _"You're my little girl, Chelsea. I love you very much…and that will never, ever change."_

"_My husband, Jimmy, recorded this right after you were brought to this world. He was so happy for both of us, he was excited to help me raise you." _Chloe said once the screen returned to her.

"_I wanted to see you grow up into the kind of person that can make a difference…someone I can be proud of. No matter what you have gone through, I will always believe in you…whether I'm in this world, or in the next. I pray you take path you know is right. Goodbye Chelsea…I love you."_ With that, the DVD ended.

Chelsea was on her knees, bursting into tears. She cried so loud that it echoed throughout the fortress. As he put the player away, Clark saw how much Chelsea had suffered. But the fact that she was crying her eyes out meant that Chloe's message got through.

Clark bent down so that he was at eye level with Chelsea. Chelsea looked up at Clark with watery eyes. "She…really loved me. My mother…actually _loved_ me!" Clark nodded as he patted her shoulder. "Yes, she did…with all her heart and soul."

Chelsea shook her head in misery. "What have I done?! Everything I have been told about her…was all a damn lie! My mother loved me…and all I wanted was to see her dead!" she shouted painfully. Clark then decided to hug her, and she instantly wrapped her arms around him. She cried loudly into his shoulder.

"You were misled. Brainiac was your mother's _real_ killer; he was the one who filled you up with all that hate. Besides, your mother's death was an accident." That made Chelsea cry even louder.

"But it was still my fault!! I caused it to happen! I can never forgive myself!" Clark then forced Chelsea to look at him. "I can." Chelsea looked so confused. "My mother was your closest friend. How can you forgive me just like that?!" she asked incredulously.

Clark smiled. "Because I believe in second chances. And guess what…so did your mother." Chelsea then gave her first heart felt smile ever. _"Are you really so naïve that you would believe this nonsense?!"_ Chelsea then held her head and shook it.

"I'm done listening to you! Get the hell out of my head!!!" Just like that, black ooze poured out from Chelsea's ears and formed a puddle on the fortress floor. It then took the form of her father. Brainiac couldn't be more pissed off.

"You know, it doesn't really matter. It's too late." At that moment, the fortress shook violently. The menacing machine gave off a triumphant smirk. "It's started! Black Zero has been released across the planet! Now everyone will die, and it's all thanks to you "daughter"!" Chelsea looked at him with the same hatred she once held for Chloe.

Just then, an energy burst hit Brainiac and caused him to disintegrate with a loud scream. Clark and Chelsea turned to see the Legion. Rokk and Garth nodded at Clark. "We wanted to pull his plug ourselves." Rokk said.

Clark then turned to Chelsea. "Chelsea, remember; there's still time." Chelsea looked from Clark, to the Legion, then to the fortress console, and finally back at Clark. With a new sense of determination, Chelsea nodded and walked back towards the console.

She knew nothing she could do would bring her mother back, but she can stop Black Zero from erasing all of humanity. It was the least she could do; it was what her mother would have wanted.

As she placed her hands above the console once more, Chelsea turned back at Clark…and smile once more. "Thank you." Clark nodded with a smile. She put all her focus on stopping the virus before it was too late.

Within a few seconds, the console began to glow extremely bright. It was so bright, Clark and the Legion had to cover their eyes. As the light began to envelope her, Chelsea had only one thought on her mind:

'_Thank you mother…I love you too.'_

To be concluded.

Note: Only one more chapter to go! Unfortunately, you'll have to wait an extra week for it; I'm not posting it next week (being Thanksgiving and all). Just hang on and you'll read the exciting conclusion to this amazing story the following week! Later!


	70. Chapter 69 Future

Hi everybody! I absolutely cannot believe we have finally made it to the last chapter of my story! It has been both incredible and exhausting, but it was well worth writing! And now…the conclusion!!!

The Future of Justice

Chapter 69: Future

Chloe's Apartment:

Kara arrived to see Jimmy sulking on the sofa, staring at the floor. He didn't even notice Kara coming in. "Jimmy?" Jimmy looked up to see Kara, surprised that she was there. "Hey Kara." She sat down next to him.

"How are you?" she asked tenderly. Jimmy shook his head. "My wife just got murdered. How do you think I am?" Kara sighed. "I'm so sorry about Chloe. I know how much you loved her."

Jimmy's eyes started to water. "We had our ups and downs in the past, but we've always managed to get back together. This time…it's not happening." he said bitterly. Kara wanted to hug Jimmy, to comfort him. But she decided against it.

She was afraid the feelings she had for Jimmy would resurface and that she won't be able to control herself. Plus, Jimmy was suffering. Kara didn't want to take advantage of him since he was so vulnerable.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked wisely. Jimmy sniffed and brushed away a tear as he turned to Kara. "Thanks, but I don't think there is." Kara nodded. "I understand." A moment of silence followed, then Jimmy asked Kara something.

"How did you deal with Brian's death?" A knot formed in Kara's throat as she heard her old boyfriend's name. Thinking quickly, she came up with a believable answer. "Well, it wasn't something I could get over with a snap of a finger. For me, spending time with my family helped ease the pain. It helped me to recover."

Jimmy smiled. "Sounds nice." Kara nodded. "It was. Still, I wish I could see him again…" She imagined she was with Brainiac 5 once more. "I can't possibly imagine my life without Chloe." Jimmy muttered.

Suddenly, both Jimmy and Kara felt monstrous headaches and collapsed on the floor. They yelled as the pain worsened. "What's going on?!" Jimmy asked. "I don't know!!" Kara yelled back.

* * *

The Talon:

It wasn't just with Kara and Jimmy; the pain they suffered was happing everywhere! Lois, Gabe, and Moira all had fallen and succumbed to the severe headaches.

Gabe and Moira couldn't understand what was happening, while Lois had suspicions of who the culprit could be. _'It's you…Chelsea.'_

* * *

Oliver's Apartment:

The whole team began to feel those same mental attacks. Quickly, Hal used his power ring to form a barrier around everyone else. The pain lessened somewhat, but it was still there. "Thanks Hal." Oliver said. "It's all I can do. But what is this?" he asked.

"I fear it is not happening to just us…" J'onn said fearfully. "I feel the same pain in other people's minds." "It's happening everywhere?!" Barry asked. "But what is it?" Batman asked.

"Let me see." Jaime said as he used his suit's scanners. What he saw shocked him. "There's a gigantic field of energy all over the city! And from what I can tell, it's coming from the north…somewhere in the Arctic region." "The Fortress." Oliver said to himself.

Throughout all of Metropolis (and everywhere else on the planet), all the people felt like their minds were being melted. They were dying and none of them knew what the hell was going on.

But just when it all seemed over for Earth's people, a bright light shined from the same direction and had spread to every corner of the planet.

The light passed over Oliver's, and the pain stopped immediately. Relieved, Hal deactivated his ring. The team got up and looked out over the city. The other people seemed to be recovering.

* * *

The Talon:

The light shined over Lois and Chloe's parents, and instantly the pain was gone. Gabe and Moira hugged one another, glad that they had survived. Lois joined in too, as she thanked whoever it was that stopped Chelsea.

* * *

Chloe's Apartment:

As Kara and Jimmy moaned and ached, the light came to them as well. However, something very unexpected happened. As soon as the light hit Kara, her bracelet started to glow.

The energy from the bracelet then enveloped both Kara and Jimmy. When the light passed and the energy from the bracelet had dissipated…both of them were gone.

* * *

Metropolis General Hospital:

As the light passed through a dimly lit room, a machine sparked a little and sent a jolt to the patient connected to it. At once, the man resting there flashed his open and sat up. The man held his head, which was still aching.

He was puzzled. A few moments ago he felt agonizing pain in his head, and now the pain was gone and he felt the shock that woke him up. A doctor walked into the room a second later. He seemed stunned that the patient was awake.

Are you alright sir?" the doctor asked. The man looked up to him. "What the hell happened?" he asked softly. "Well, we really don't know. But apparently, something caused your monitor to go a little haywire and gave you a little "wake up call"." the doctor joked. The man looked around, confused.

"How did I get here?" "You were brought to Smallville Medical Center months ago unconscious, and then got transferred here. You have been in a coma ever since." The man was shocked. "I've been here for months in a coma?!" he asked.

"Take it easy, Mr. Luthor. We have been monitoring you the whole time, and this is the first time you've stirred since coming here." The man sighed in shock. "Can you tell us how this happened to you?"

Lex rubbed his bald head, trying to remember how he ended up like this. He closed his eyes and searched his memory.

He remembered murdering his own father and made it look like suicide. But he could not remember why. He couldn't remember a thing after he died. Although, he faintly recalled part of the reason was his undeniable hatred for him.

As heard as he tried, he could not find the memory of how he could've gotten himself in the hospital. "I…can't remember." he finally answered. The doctor nodded. "Perhaps it's for the best. The important thing, Mr. Luthor, is that you are up and about once more." he said politely.

Lex nodded. "I'll see to it that you are paid handsomely for my treatment." the doctor shook his head. "That's not necessary. Let's say we discuss your release papers?" "I couldn't agree with you more."

"Oh, and happy New Year Mr. Luthor." the doctor said as he walked out. Lex looked out the window as the darkness began to thin. _'What did happen months ago?'_

* * *

The Fortress of Solitude:

As the light finally dimmed, Clark and the Legion looked to see something surprising: Chelsea had reverted back to an infant, and was crying loudly. The group was puzzled by this. "What was _that_?" Garth asked.

"Chelsea undid what Brainiac wanted her to do. She prevented the destruction of all sentient life on Earth, I'm sure it." Clark stated as he took of his jacket and wrapped Chelsea in it. "But how did Chelsea become a baby again?" Imra questioned.

Clark smiled; he had only one guess as to how it happened. "You did this, didn't you Jor-El?" The AI of Clark's father answered at once.

"_**Chelsea showed great remorse for the death of her mother, and realized the error of her ways. I felt it when she interfaced with the fortress console. When she was purging the Black Zero virus, I reversed the rapid aging process Brainiac forced upon her…so that she can be given a second chance."**_

"Thank you father. I'm sure Chloe would've appreciated that." Clark said in gratitude. He turned back to the Legion and smiled. "Thanks for finally getting rid of Brainiac." "It was our pleasure Kal." Rokk said, smiling back.

"We should be thanking you, Kal. By convincing Chelsea that she was on the wrong path, you changed the future of your world. We are forever grateful to you." Imra replied.

"I gotta say, you really are a "Superman"." Garth exclaimed. Clark chuckled a bit. "So, I guess you three will head back to the future now?" he asked. They all nodded. "Our business is finished here. We won't forget you Kal-El." Rokk said as he shook Clark's hand.

"I won't forget any of you either. And…say hi to Brainiac 5 for me." "We will." Rokk said as he brought out the time remote. "Ready guys?" he asked. Garth and Imra nodded. "Then let's go home." With the push of a button, the three heroes had vanished in another flash of light.

* * *

The Talon:

Clark had arrived at the Talon to find Lois and the Sullivans. They stared with shock as Clark held baby Chelsea in his arms. "Chelsea! Where did you find her Clark?" Moira asked as she took her granddaughter.

"I heard crying in a dumpster in Metropolis, and when I opened it…there she was." "Thank God she's okay." Gabe said as he took his turn to hold her. "Me too." Clark said. Lois looked more skeptical (and down right confused), and Clark noticed.

He walked over and talked to her privately. "Okay Smallville, is that _really_ Chelsea? And if so, how did she go from an kick ass chick to an innocent babe again?" Clark had his answer ready. "Steel found her, and he found a way to restore her to her infant self."

Lois was overwhelmed. "Is there anything that guy can't do?" Clark shrugged. "Maybe not reveal his true identity?" he joked. Lois sighed. "Yeah, well…there's that."

"Clark, Lois…we can't get a hold of Jimmy." Gabe said, making the two turn to him. "It keeps saying no service. It's like his phone doesn't work anymore." "I'll try Kara; she's staying with him." Clark said as he speed dialed his cousin.

But to his surprise, Kara didn't answer either. "Nothing. Same with Jimmy's phone." he said. This started to worry everyone. "You don't think that maniac Shannon returned and…?" Moira asked. "I'll go check on them." Clark said as he walked.

* * *

Chloe's Apartment:

Clark arrived to see the place empty. "Kara? Jimmy? You guys here?" No one answered. He then noticed shining fragments on the floor. Upon closer inspection, Clark saw that they were broken pieces of metal.

He gasped as he saw that one of the fragments had the House of El crest on it. Clark realized that those fragments were broken pieces of Kara's bracelet. "Kara…" he said in a worried tone. Just then, he felt a brush of wind behind him and Clark turned to see his cousin, alive and well. She was smiling. "Hey cousin."

Clark was surprised by what Kara was wearing. She wore a long, blue sleeved top with the House of El crest on her chest (it was red in a yellow background), a blue skirt fastened by a yellow belt, and red boots. She also wore a red cape on her back. The edges of the blue top and the cape had yellow lined on them.

"Kara, what happened? And what are you wearing?" Kara gave a light laugh. "Believe it or not, this lovely attire came from the case that Tyr-Us gave me in Kandor. It was worn by your mother when she became part of the House of El."

Kara then spun around once. "What do you think?" Clark smirked and tilted his head to the side. "You know, that really is you." "Thanks." "But what happened to you and Jimmy? And why did your bracelet brake?" Kara frowned a bit.

"That's why I came here." Clark waited for her answer. "When that light hit me, it caused a temporal overload in my bracelet and shattered it. When it did, it sent me and Jimmy to different times in the future." "Which times?" Clark asked.

"Believe it or not, I ended up in the 31st century…where I got to meet the Legion. And I got to see Brian again!" she said excitedly. Clark smiled. "I'm glad you two saw each other again." "Me too." "And Jimmy?" Kara sighed.

"Jimmy landed only 12 years in the future." "That must've been interesting for him. Did you drop him off at the Talon after bringing him back?" Kara shook his head. "I didn't bring him back." Clark felt like he got hit with steam roller. "What?"

Kara nodded. "We left him in that period in time." "But why?! _This _is his time. Why not bring him back?" he asked, almost accusingly. Kara sighed. "I know this doesn't make sense now, but when your time eventually catches up with Jimmy…you'll know." This frustrated Clark. "That doesn't make sense Kara!"

"Clark, you're going to have to trust me on this." "But everything he knows and loves is here!" he argued. "Jimmy has a new destiny in the time he ended up in. Imra adjusted his memory so that he feels more at home there."

"Kara, tell me what's going on." Clark strongly demanded. Kara sighed again. "Fine. I'll tell you what you need to know." Clark crossed his arms as he listened.

"When we found out where, or rather "when" he reappeared, I suggested to Rokk that we'd bring him back here but he refused." "Why?" Clark asked. "When the Legion got back to their time after helping you, they checked the timeline. What they saw…well, let's say we should not do any more tampering."

"Why can't you just tell me what happens to Jimmy?" he asked, almost shouting. "I can't; it would spoil the surprise." Clark was about to lose it when Kara talked him down. "Look, he is comfortable where he is. Everything has been arranged so that he doesn't suspect he's from another time." she assured him.

"Does he remember us? Or Chloe?" he asked furiously. "He remembers Chloe, but not as his wife. And he doesn't even remember little Chelsea. As for us…that's a little more complicated." Clark groaned. "Kara, what aren't you telling me?"

Kara hesitated. "Kal-El, what you need to know is that Jimmy will be fine. Please, trust me. He does a lot of good in the future." Clark turned his back on her and sighed frustratingly. He didn't look at her for a bit, which worries her. After a moment he took a deep breath, exhaled, and turned back to her.

"I don't agree with this." "I understand." "But if that is what is best for Jimmy…I guess I should be glad he is fine." Kara nodded. "And Imra will take care of everyone's memories of Jimmy after Chloe's funeral." Clark nodded; he knew a funeral for her had to be done soon. "But why are you wearing that?" Clark asked, indicating the costume.

"It's part of my new heroine identity. "Power Girl" is now…"Supergirl". she said proudly. Clark raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you worried that people will recognize you without something on your face?" he asked. Kara shook her head.

"That won't be a problem where I'm staying." "What's that supposed to mean?" Clark asked. Kara sighed again. "I came here to tell you what happened to me and Jimmy to not worry you. But I also came to say goodbye…for now at least."

Clark was caught of guard. "_Goodbye?_" "I've decided to fight evil with the Legion for a while. Rokk said I could be of some help to them, and I get to spend some time with Brian. My record must be impressive if they gave me an invitation." she said with a smile.

"For how long?" His cousin shrugged. "All I can say is, you won't be seeing me for a while. But I will be back…when it's time." Clark shook his head. "Time; what a complicated thing."

Kara then hugged him. "I will miss you Kara." As they parted, Kara gave a warm smile. "And I you. But you know, you'll always be with me." She then took out a pendent that she wore around her neck. It was also the House of El crest.

"See, right here…close to my heart." Clark smiled. "I hope you do a lot of good in the future." "I sure hope so." She then got out Brainiac 5's time remote. "One more thing." "Yeah?" he asked. "I hope you and Lois become closer than ever." Clark chuckled. "Time will tell." They both laughed.

"Bye cousin." "Bye Kara." Kara, now Supergirl, activated the time remote and vanished to the future. Clark looked forward to seeing his cousin return…and find out what became of Jimmy.

* * *

Earth, 31st Century:

Kara reappeared in the 31st century Earth, where the Legion waited. Originally, they were based on another far off planet. But thanks to Clark, his friends, and his allies, the future had changed. They were now stationed on Earth.

"What did Kal say?" Rokk asked. "I've explained everything. He didn't approve our decision regarding Jimmy, but…in the end, he accepted it. In short, it went well." Rokk nodded.

"Well then, until it's time for you to return…welcome to the Legion "Supergirl". Kara smiled. Brainiac 5 walked up to her and the two hugged. He smiled. "I've missed you so much, Kara." Kara smiled. "And I you." The two then kissed passionately.

* * *

21st Century Earth; Oliver's Apartment:

Clark super sped back to Oliver's place, where everyone was waiting. "I don't suppose you could fill us in on what the hell just happened?" Oliver asked nonchalantly. Clark immediately told the team about Chelsea, the Legion, Brainiac, and the DVD.

Everyone was amazed by how successful Clark was in saving Chelsea…but not as much as Batman was. He was simply dumbstruck by the deed. And they were glad she was give another chance for a normal life. But it was still sad because Chloe was no longer around to raise her.

"It is a shame Chloe isn't here." Jaime said. Barry put a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, but she is at peace." "I am sure she will watch over her daughter from the heavens. And sure that she would be very proud of you, Clark." Diana said.

"Me too." Clark replied. "I have to admit Clark; it's not everyday that I'm proven wrong about something…or someone. And I'm pleased that it was you, of all people, who did just that." Batman said with a smile.

"Thank you Batman." Clark said respectively. Batman nodded as he walked toward the balcony. "Where are you going, Bats?" Hal asked. Batman turned back to everyone.

"The world has been saved…and this has been a hell of night for me. I'm heading home." They all agreed; it was time for the team to go their separate ways. "Good idea." AC said as he yawned. "After all this, I'm sleeping in all day." Everyone laughed, or at least smirked.

"But before I fly off, there is something I have to do." Batman said, making everyone curious. "What would that be?" Victor asked. Batman smiled as he did the very last thing the team, even Clark, expected: He took off his mask.

Besides Clark, all of the heroes and heroines were completely shocked by the face behind the cape and cowl, especially Oliver. "Bruce Wayne?!" he said, completely dumbfounded. "Gotham's eligible bachelor and playboy?!" Dinah said, just as stunned.

Bruce continued to smile. "Last person you'd ever suspect to be someone like the "Batman", wouldn't you say?" Hal laughed his heart out. "So _now_ you choose to take off the mask, huh? I never would've guessed!"

"But why?" Clark asked. "After all we've been through, I figured you've all earned my trust…and my respect." he simply said as he put his mask back on and stepped out onto the balcony.

"I look forward to the next time we work together." The Dark Knight said proudly as he jumped off the balcony, and landed right in the cockpit of his jet (which rose from below). Clark and the others were impressed.

"Damn; his exit was just as dramatic as his entrance. He is _definitely_ a show off." Hal said, causing everyone to laugh again. Slowly, one by one, each of them left. Diana gave Clark a peck on the cheek before she left (which made him blush a little).

It was just Clark, Oliver, Dinah, and AC now. "Hey Ollie; don't call me out on anymore missions for a while. I'm going on a trip." This surprised everyone. "Where too?" Oliver asked. AC shrugged.

"Oh…just spending some time with the fishes." he vaguely said as he walked out. Clark knew exactly what he meant. "I'm sure he'll be back when he's ready." Clark said. Oliver then turned to Dinah.

"How about dinner and a movie sometime?" he asked smoothly. Dinah smiled. "That actually sounds like fun." she said as they both walked out. Smiling, Clark moved out right behind them.

* * *

Metropolis Cemetery:

A few days later, a funeral was held for Chloe. All of her family and friends were there, dressed in black. Gabe and Moira shed tears for their departed daughter, and they brought Chelsea for her to see her mother's grave.

Clark supported Lois during the service, which she deeply appreciated. Oliver and Dinah also bowed their heads for their fallen friend. The only ones not present, but should be there were Jimmy and Kara. It was a sad day indeed.

It was a sunny, but slightly cloudy day. One by one, everyone gave their last words for Chloe. First the former meteor infected, who thanked her for everything she did for them. They expressed their sorrow for the destruction of Isis, and then her own death.

Next was Moira and Gabe, who both said that they were very proud of their daughter and they would miss her everyday. Lois was next. She sniffed and wiped away her tears before she spoke to her cousin's grave.

"Chloe, all I can say…is thank you. Thank you for being there for me whenever I'm down. Also, it was because of you that I got into the whole news reporter business. Who would've thought it: Me, Lois Lane, an army brat, take up journalism?" she tried to laugh, but instead gave a chocking sound.

"So, thanks. And good look wherever you are. Who knows? Maybe when I meet up with you again, you'll give me the best scoop of all: What heaven is really like. Goodbye cos…I love you." Lois then turned and walked away. Lucy also gave her similar words.

Oliver then stepped up and gave his final respects. "You were a good friend, and I'm sure if given the chance, a damn good mother. I won't ever forget you Chloe. Goodbye." Oliver then walked away. Dinah merely said goodbye and walked behind him.

Later, after everyone else was gone, Clark was the only one left standing over Chloe's grave. He looked chocked up as he struggled to find the right words. Finally, he chose them.

"Chloe…you were the best friend I ever had. I don't know how I could've survived without your friendship and support. You were one of many people that helped me become who I am today, and that is something I can never repay you for. I only wished I could've saved you before Chelsea…" he stopped, unable to finish that sentence.

Instead, he moved on. "But now, you no longer have to suffer with the burden of keeping my secret. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you to not tell anyone, even those closest to you. For that, I thank you."

Clark then smiled. "I believe Chelsea will grow into a fine woman…just like you. I'm sad she will never know you. But rest assured, I will keep watch over her…because I know that's what you would want me to do. Goodbye Chloe."

He stared at the gravestone a moment longer before turning to leave. But as he did, he saw someone he didn't expect to show up. A man that made Clark immensely afraid. "_Lex_?"

Lex Luthor himself walked down the towards Clark with a blank face. But as he approached, he tried to look sympathetic. "It's been a while Clark." They stood in front of each other for what seemed like the longest time. "Why are you here?" Clark finally asked.

His former friend looked past Clark, towards Chloe's grave. "I heard what happened to Chloe. I'm sorry; I know you two were close." Clark snorted; he knew Lex didn't mean it. Lex went on.

"We may not have been friends for a long time, but I still respected her. She was an intelligent young woman. Such a waste she had to die." he said regrettably. Clark became angry. "Why are you here?" he asked again.

Lex turned back to Clark, realizing his sweet talk wasn't going to work. "I knew you would be here, paying your last respects to her." Lex paused for a bit. "I learned from my doctor that a man with your description brought me in for immediate medical attention." Clark steeled himself, preparing for what he was about to say.

"I don't remember how I ended up in that coma, but I have a strong suspicion that you do." Clark was surprised, and Lex noticed it. "What happened to me?" he asked. "You remember nothing?" Clark asked cautiously. Lex sighed.

"Nothing after his death. Maybe you can help fill in the blanks." Clark felt somewhat relieved; Lex did not remember Clark's secret. Thinking quickly, he thought of a plausible explanation.

"Not much happened after Lionel's funeral. But months ago, you attacked by a meteor freak that could turn his body to stone. Chloe managed to track him down and by the time I got there, I found you lying unconscious with a large wound on your head. I brought you to Smallville Medical as quickly as I could."

"And the freak?" he asked, skeptical. "He was eventually found, but he was dead. Apparently he owed money to a mobster and he thought by ransoming you, he could get paid off." "But the said mobster had other ideas." Lex finished.

Clark nodded. Lex studied Clark for a bit. "I'm amazed at you Clark. As much as you despise me, you still end up saving my life." Clark narrowed his eyes. "It doesn't change a thing Lex. You should know me well enough by now that I don't let people around me die." he said strongly.

Lex looked as though Clark's tale was less than convincing, but it was the only one he got. "Sometimes…I wonder if I know you at all." Lex stared at Clark for another moment before he turned and walked away.

Clark felt relieved that Lex could no longer remember his secret. But he was also felt weary since he would have to do with Lex's misdeeds once again. No matter what schemes he would come up with, Clark was confident he could handle anything he would dish out.

With one last look at Chloe's grave, Clark turned and walked away. But unbeknownst to him, a figure stood in the shadows and seemed to be staring at the grave…

* * *

Kent Farm:

Later that night, Clark had taken a shower and got dressed for bed. First thing in the morning, he would go to the fortress to complete his training. Before he was about to turn in, his cell phone rang. It was a number that Clark didn't recognize. He wondered who would be calling him so late?

"Hello?" The voice he heard on the other line was a voice he hadn't heard in a long while. _"Hi Clark."_ Clark was so startled he didn't answer back at once. "Lana?" he asked breathlessly.

"_The one and only."_ Clark smiled as he talked to his old girlfriend. "Uh, I'm surprised to hear from you. It's been a while." _"Yeah, it has. How are you?"_ Clark sighed as he sat on his bed. "I've had better days."

"_You and me both."_ Clark hesitated before continuing. "Did you…hear about Chloe?" Lana didn't reply for a moment. _"I was in tears when I found out on the news. I was even more upset than I was when I heard about the Isis Foundation being destroyed."_

"I was pretty upset too. I wish you could've been at her funeral." _"I was."_ Clark then instantly stood up. "You were there?"_ "I was watching from a distance." _"But why didn't you join everyone?"

"_I didn't feel ready to talk to you again face to face. Not after how I said goodbye to you."_ Clark remembered her DVD all too well. "Then you saw me and Lex?" _"Yeah. Why was he there anyway?"_

"It's a very long story. It's not something I can talk about on the phone." _"But I'm pretty sure there is something you can."_ she said, hinting something. Clark knew what he wanted to ask.

"Lana, why you did decide to call me today after months of no contact whatsoever?" He heard Lana take a deep breath over the phone. _"I'm sorry for not keeping in touch for so long. I needed to start my life over, and I didn't want to keep you from becoming the hero I know you're meant to be."_

Clark listened as she continued. _"I called to let you know that I'm okay and that I couldn't be better. And, I wanted to know if you could come to my new place to catch up sometime?"_ Clark raised an eyebrow. "Where are you now?"

"_I'm living in Washington. You can have dinner with me and Pete."_ "Pete is there too?" Clark asked, surprised. _"Yeah. I've been here with Pete while he is in law school. Believe it or not…we're dating."_ Clark was really surprised.

"You and Pete?" _"Things are great between us. So, what would you say?"_ Clark instinctively walked to his desk drawer , opened it, and picked up Lana's old kryptonite necklace. "Sure. And when I get there, I have something to give you." he said with a smile. _"What is it?"_ she asked interestingly.

Clark smiled. "It's a surprise." he said as he put it back. _"Hey Clark."_ "Yes Lana?" _"Do you remember back in freshman year, when you fell to the ground in front of me?"_ Clark mentally chuckled. "How could I forget? I felt so embarrassed."

Lana laughed at her end. _"Anyway, do you remember what I asked you afterwards?"_ she asked. Clark remembered it without any problems. "You asked me if I was man or Superman." _"And then you told me you haven't figured it out yet."_

Clark nodded. "What about it?" _"Well, it's been years since then…_have_ you figured out which one you are?" _As Clark thought about it, he noticed the metal case again in his open closet.

Clark took it down and laid it on the bed. He then slowly opened it to find an outfit similar to Kara's, only more "manly". Remembering what Kara wore and decided on her apparent "destiny", and remembering what Garth called him at the fortress, Clark figured it was time for his own. He smiled again as he answered. "I believe I have."

* * *

Metropolis; Years Later

"Kent, Lane, I need you two to get to work on this story right away!" Perry said as he gave his two top reporters their assignment. "We're so on it, Perry." Lois said excitedly. "We won't let you down." Clark said modestly as he walked out with Lois.

"I'm telling you Smallville, nothing Perry gives us can compete with a possible interview with…" "Oh Lois, if he wants an interview, he'll ask. Until then, we have our assignment." Lois sighed. "Party pooper. You coming Jimmy?"

Jimmy Olsen walked up behind them with his trusty camera. "How could I miss a conference between Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne? It's going to be hot, I know it." he said. Clark smiled at his old friend while adjusting his black rimmed glasses.

Like Kara said, Jimmy didn't remember a thing about being sent from the past to the future. He was sure Chloe would be happy for him. Clark thanked Imra for another reason.

She paid him an unexpected visit after his training at the fortress. Imra wanted to help Clark solidify his new identity by using her powerful telepathy (with J'onn's help) to alter the memories of everyone Clark knew so that he always wore glasses (except his fellow Justice Leaguers).

Clark was particularly excited for today, and it wasn't about the conference. Before she returned to the future, Imra informed Clark that Kara would be returning to his time later today.

Whenever he had the chance, he checked on Chelsea. She has become quite a smart young lady, just like her mother. Clark later learned that Chelsea was an ancestor of Brainiac 5 from Imra, which really shocked him.

As they took the elevator down, Jimmy noticed something on Lois' wrist. "What's with that? I thought you weren't into jewelry?" Lois lifted her arm to show off an ornate bracelet. It was silver with a light blue jewel in the center.

"Oh, this thing? Yeah well, believe it or not, it was gift from "You know who". When I woke up this morning, I saw it on my dresser with a typed note. The note said that it was to show a connection between us. I think he's trying to tell me he likes me." Lois said with a huge smirk. Clark smiled.

He knew exactly what "connection" it was. It was the bracelet that belonged to his special friend, Kyla Willowbrook. After she died, her grandfather gave it to Clark and told him to give it "to the one he is destined to be with".

After spending so much time with Lois, and remembering the Kawatche painting of the dark haired woman with that same bracelet beneath her that was supposed to be his "soul mate", Clark felt like giving the bracelet to Lois. He felt like she could be the one…given enough time.

"Sounds like you want to be his soul mate." Clark said jokingly. Lois gave Clark an annoyed look. "Please, if he wants to be my soul mate, he could at least give me a gift while I'm awake." "Maybe he's shy." Jimmy guessed.

"Besides, why me of all people? He and I haven't met…at least not yet." Lois said hopefully as they stepped out of the elevator. "I'm sure he is one of your many fans." Clark said.

Suddenly, he heard police sirens with his super hearing. "Guys, I just remembered something. I need to make a phone call." he said as he walked towards a phone booth. Lois and Jimmy looked confused.

"Can it wait?" Lois asked. "No, it's important." "Then why a phone booth? What's wrong with your cell?" Clark looked a little sheepish. "I forgot to charge it last night and the battery died." Lois groaned.

"Smallville, you got to remember to charge your cell before bed!" "I know Lois. You and Jimmy go on; I'll catch up." Lois and Jimmy then left the basement. Making sure that Clark was alone, he walked in the phone booth and super spun inside.

When he came out, he wore a red and blue costume with an "S" on the chest and had big red cape flowing down his back. _'This is a job…for Superman.' _Clark thought to himself as he speeded out and took to the skies.

The End.

Note: Okay, the story I started at the end of Season 7 is FINALLY over! I hope you all accept how I ended it. I did the best I could. It may be done better when the real show ends, but here is what I got. Still, I hope you've all enjoyed this story. Later!!!


End file.
